


The New York Games

by AlwaysEverlark



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Romance, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-05
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-01-07 12:18:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 51,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1119748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysEverlark/pseuds/AlwaysEverlark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Special Agent, Katniss Everdeen, is moved to New York after finishing in Quantico and has to solve a case with the unit she had been assigned. Children are disappearing throughout the State of New York. In her unit, Dr. Peeta Mellark is a special consultant, who used to live in the same hometown. AU Modern day. The Hunger Games</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Moving

Chapter 1

Moving

"This is the last box ..." Gale says while groans of weariness. "What do you have in here, Catnip? all the books from Quantico library? Weights?"

I look up and see Gale with the man I hired to help me with the move, with a huge unmarked box that I don't know what contains. I've brought it from home along with many others, in fact there are more boxes that space, in this small apartment.

Besides, I think, now this is my new home.

The summer is starting but the temperature is incredibly high, there is a heat wave that has the city of New York in check these days, and I miss my woods already and the fresh wind that blows through the leaves of the trees.

I quickly say goodbye to the moving company while I see Gale has been sitting in the doorway, red and sweaty because of the effort. He is not used to these temperatures, neither.

"C'mon Gale, thought you were a strong man ... And tough" I joke with him. He looks at me with a scowl and rolls his eyes. "It is late, but do you have time for a drink or something before you go?"

If I can find something to eat in this disaster, I think.

"I don't think so, I still have a 4-hour-trip back home and I want to get some rest before starting my shift."

"In that case it's time to say goodbye, and you know I hate it, so better if we do this fast," I say as I approach for a hug.

He gives me a kiss on the cheek, which lasts more than necessary, and turns around to leave, but at the last minute he turns and smiles while saying concerned:

"Don't be a stranger Catnip. And please, don't get into much troubles, ok?"

And with that, he leaves. I go to the window to see how he reaches his car, without looking up. And I see how it moves away. I know, he didn't want to leave me, not after the last month we spent in the woods, where everything went back to how it used to be between us, or at least, as close as possible. No pressure or reproach, just sharing quiet times for hunting and fishing.

Gale is tall, dark and has the typical gray eyes of our area but they are no less fascinating. He is a handsome man and athletic thanks, in part, to his work as a ranger in the Adirondack Mountains. When I really consider it, it is clear that being in the Adirondack Rangers was always his calling and destiny. Also it could have been my destiny, it would have been more than a viable option: stay with him in our little town, but ... I shake my head with determination to take out that thought of my mind. Some time ago I made my choice and it brought me here.

A path I started walking after the death of my father. I still have nightmares, many nights where I only see blood and I feel fear and confusion, while I look desperately for him, until I find him, lying in the snow, part of his body covered by rocks that fell after the landslide and avalanche. His skin was bluish, possibly due to the silver light of the full moon that shone in the sky. In his face a gesture of surprise and eyes open, some empty eyes that did not reflect any light in his gray eyes.

We had gone to spend the weekend at the cabin near the lake. Just him and me, as we used to do to hunt occasionally. My mother pretended to be jealous and upset because we went without her, but the truth was that she loved our father-and-daughter moments.

A blizzard had begun shortly after arriving at the cabin and my father asked me to be tending the fire, while he went to check the snares that he had put just one day before. The cabin was so cozy. The heat and light radiated from the fireplace was warm, and I started to doze on the couch, tired as I was.

Suddenly a loud and continuous noise woke me right away, I could feel and hear that something was coming, as if the mountain was falling ... An avalanche! I abruptly thought ... And again silence. Full silence, no noise from the night. Fear came over me. I slipped on my worn leather boots and grabbed my jacket and beanie as I went out into the darkness screaming my father's name. That feeling, the feeling of loss that began that night, at that very moment, even when I did not know what I had lost, steeped my DNA till today.

The death of my father, changed my life, my mother's and my little sister's Prim. Not only because of the tragic event and the family drama involving the unexpected and cruel death of a father and husband, but by the situation that led.

My mother was blocked, stopped living and I would say that she even stopped breathing. She didn't get up in the morning to prepare breakfast and school stuff. She did not get up to pick us up. She did not get up to buy or to wash the dishes. Even she didn't get up to go to work at the clinic where she was an assistant.

At first the neighbors helped us, me and Prim, who was 4 years younger and was a naive and charming girl of 7 years old. But as the time went by, they began to ask questions and I was afraid to be taken to a shelter and be separated of my sister. She was my whole life and I couldn't allow it. We ceased to accept their charity saying that, although my mother was still depressed and sad, we were not missing anything with the help sent by our family. The reality was that we hardly had anything to survive. My contempt for my mother grew every day, seeing how she was not able to cope with the loss of my father not even for her two daughters. I saw how the love she had for my father changed her into a weak and small self. We not only lost a father but a mother.

That fact convinced me that I didn't want to get married, I didn't want to love,I did not want to become what she became. It was much safer just cared about Prim.

Again, I have started to wander. I come back to my chores because I do not have much time to fix this catastrophe of boxes and stuff everywhere, before I start working. I empty my purse and find my wallet inside. I open it and see my badge "Special Agent Katniss Everdeen". That's me, just graduated from Quantico Academy and assigned to my first destination. I have worked and studied hard to get me into the New York office, near from the Hospital where Prim works.

I'm taking out of the boxes everything that they contain: clothes, toiletries, some cooking pots and pans. Next to the shelf is a box with a pile of books I had in Quantico, all those books and more that I had to learn at the Academy. Once placed, I breath happy. It took me less time than I expected, although it has already started to get dark. I see that there is only one box near the door. I try to lift it, but it is impossible. Now I understand why it had to be load by two people. I'll get some scissors and open it. I don't remember what contains, but due the weight and just as Gale has suggested, there must be more books.

Once I open the box I stare at it. it is true that there are books, but been years since I saw them. These are the books I left behind when I moved to the University thanks to a scholarship from sports that I got for my skill with the bow.

I grab one of Jane Austen, one of those who made us read in English class "Pride and Prejudice". It opens in a sheet and placed there, I found a dry dandelion. Helplessly, it reminds me to a blond guy with broad shoulders and with the most blue eyes that I remember seeing in my life, even more than Prim's.

Peeta Mellark, I think.

And suddenly I become, again, a 11-year-old girl frightened by the death of his father and distraught because she doesn't know what to do to keep her sister beside her without starving.

It was April, and it was pouring rain, in my desperation I approached the center of town, to the Merchants area, to get food, even from the containers. When I got off to the best known bakery around Albany. The owner, a surly woman saw me and threw me like a dog, but exhausted and soaked to the bone as I was, I could barely turn around the corner and fell down under a tree. I remember thinking it would be best to give up and call to Social Services so they took us to a center or at the end, I would kill Prim of hunger. I began to mourn when I heard a noise close to me. The back door of the bakery opened out and I saw a blond boy who was studying in my same class, Peeta. His mother yelling at him because of the burned bread.

He walked toward the container to throw the loaves but he looked at me. I was watching him because of the bread and because of the red weal that stood out on his cheekbone. Then the boy took one look back to the bakery as if checking that the coast was clear, and he threw the loaves of bread in my direction and he sloshed back to the bakery, closing the kitchen door tightly behind me.

Quickly I took the bread and headed home to share them with PrI'm. That was the first time in months I did not sleep with an empty stomach. The next day, I walked to school with the thought of thank Peeta for his action. An unexpected gesture of kindness in my life.

I wanted to say thank you to him, in part, yes, as gratitude. But the other part because I hate owing people. The rain had cleared at night and the sun looked radiant and spring-like. After the classes we shared, I headed to his direction hesitantly because he was with some friends. But Peeta was always surrounded by friends, he was friendly, warm and extremely popular. He had a talent to make people confortable around him. It would not be easy to catch him another time alone. I plucked up courage and continued my path when he looked up and saw that I was staring at him too, but he turned away his head. I stood there, not knowing what to do, I corrected my gaze to the ground, not knowing if I was embarrassed or something else. And then I saw it. The first dandelion of the spring. And I knew what I had to do to keep Prim safe. I would get into the woods and I could fish, hunt and gather berries and wild fruits and even sell them in the local market.

Hope broke through my body and I smiled for the first time since the death of my father, I picked the dandelion, and I kept it in the book that we had just comment in class, I looked back at the blond boy who had given me hope and made my way home, knowing how I would go on.

Just during one of those trips to the woods is where I met Gale and how by a confusion he thought my name was Catnip and not Katniss. And since there, he named me with this affectionate nickname. Between the two of us and his mother, Hazelle, we started a small stall in the local market where we sold our products and guide services. Our small community was quite tourist during summer months and bank holidays, so many people came to spend a few weeks trekking and hiking in the Adirondacks.

I never dared to approach Peeta and thanked him. When we finished school he went to study psychiatry at Harvard and I stayed in the University of Albany and went for biology. Our paths no longer cross again.

Still, I remember him whenever I saw a dandelion or a strong boy blond and blue eyes. I do not understand why but whenever I think of him I feel better.

 

 

* * *

 

Thanks for reading this story. As you may know by now, I'm not English native speaker, so please, apologize me for all the mistakes. If anyone wants to help me and be my beta for the translation please tell me, I would appreciate it very much.

For my Spanish readers, I'm still working on chapter 21 but it is a hard chapter as it is a turning point. So please be patient and "stay with me?" ;-)

Please Read and Review!

I do not own The hunger Games.


	2. The first day

The first day

In the end it's late and I have to get up early tomorrow. I leave the last box with books without tidying up and get into the room to sleep. But like many of my nights I sleep just a few hours and wake up from my nightmares, breathing hard. I still have a couple of hours before the alarm sounds but no longer makes sense to sleep again. I can hear as the city wakes up: traffic, car horns, steps of people as they walk, and even birds.

Light starts to go out the window. That's one of the reasons I chose this apartment. It is small: only has one bedroom with attached bathroom and a lounge with kitchen, in the same space. But it has two large windows overlooking a small park and is oriented so that the sun and light enters on it most of the day.

I get up and prepare my coffee while I take a shower, fresh water to take away the heat of this early morning. I put on my gray robe and start to dry my long hair with a towel. It is dark unlike Prim's almost platinum blonde.  
I take my breakfast and I look at the subway map for directions to the office. I approach to the closet and pulled out a navy blue blazer and a white sleeveless chiffon shirt. I braid my hair still wet and grab a pair of shoes and a purse as I head out of my apartment to the subway. I hate it and I hate underground spaces in general, but in New York you can not move otherwise, at least if you want to be on time. Now is when I hope it is worthy to rent a sunny appartment close to a park to make up for the almost fifty minutes I have to be underground to get to work.

I arrive at the FBI offices in Manhattan and show my identity card to the agents in the security point at the entrance. They tell me I should go first to check in with the human resources manager of my unit and they will tell me how to proceed. The truth is that the building is huge, and I'm grateful to have come early so there is not many people around here right now or I would feel even more lost. I get to the lifts and I press the 25th floor, which is where the assistant Effie Trinket is waiting for me, according to what I have been said.

I'm lost in my thoughts, wondering: how it will feel to be part of a real unit, how I will be welcome by my colleagues, or if they will be another new agent like me. Suddenly the elevator stops while a beep sounds and I leap on the exit as soon as the doors open without looking at the front.

I stumble against a man in a gray suit who also is trying to get in a hurry on the elevator. With the crash, I let fall my handbag and the documents that I'm bringing to the assistant, I bend down to pick them up while I hear the man mutters behind me: "Sorry, it's an emergency".  
When I gather my stuff I turn around and I look up to the man, frowning with an angry gaze, because he never stopped to help me. Just when the doors of the elevator are about to close, I see an incredible blue eyes staring at me.

I fail to distinguish the man's face although I recognise something slighty familiar and distant in his features. I straighten my clothes and start walking to the right, when I'm in front of the third door, I knock politely. A high-pitched voice tells me to come in. When I enter, a woman with a flashy pink suit, looks at me and says:

"Good morning, Special Agent Everdeen I guess?" I nod and she continues speaking "I am assistant Effie Trinket, I'm in your same unit. I handle the bureaucratic part of your work, so believe me when I tell you that I will be one of your best friends and allies here"

She winks at me and smiles. With that small gesture I feel like my body relaxes and the tension disappears from the room.

"You came early, great. Punctuality and manners are the things I value most in this job. Unfortunately" she says looking up at the ceiling "most of your teammates are not punctual... but to be honest I must say that it is not easy because this office is almost always a mess. Actually, there are not even eight o'clock in the morning and we already have an emergency alert and everyone running up and down the halls."

I nod again, clear my throat and open my mouth for the first time since I came into her office.

"Yes, I've realized. I think I've stumbled into someone that was in a hurry as he left the building"

"Uh well! I suppose you must cross with one of the components of your unit or someone from Behavioal Analysis Unit of Quantico who are here to help us with these cases of disappearances. Now please, let me see your official papers" I hand her the papers,and she reviews them carefully, after that she stamps them and signs on the documents. Finally she gives me a temporary badge.

"We'll finish the formalities later, but your entire unit is in a meeting now. So I'll take you first, to see Director Abernathy and he will introduce you to the members of your team and to attend your first meeting".

Great! I think, it's my first day and I'm already late, obviously I had no way of knowing that this would happen but anyway my day has not started too well.

Effie gets up from the chair and tells me to follow her. We walked between aisles where the doors seem all alike. If she leaves me here now by myself, I'm not sure if I could retrace my steps, and I was always first in my class in terms of orientation activities, but of course that was on outdoors exercises not in this labyrinth of white walls.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, we stop in front of an office. Effie knocks on the door and after a "come in" that I would qualify between sullen and very sullen, she opens the door and we enter the room.

The Director is a blond man with long and disheveled hair. He is not shaved and looks sleepy. Judging by his appearance and the blankets over the couch on my left, he has spent the night here. It is clear that I don't have to be Sherlock Holmes or a recent graduate agent of the FBI to come to that conclusion.

"Director Abernathy, May I introduce you the new member of the CARD team? Katniss Everdeen" After this brief presentation she passes him my file and turns to leave without closing the door.

After taking a look to the folder and its contents, Abernathy blurts out:

"Wow, you are another daughter of the great State of New York, aren't you? What was the reason to change your damn and quiet mountains by this big city? which probably is most cursed, under what we see here every day?"

"Well Sir, it is because of my sister, she works in a hospital here in New York as a second year intern"

"Well, it has become clear that it is not because you want to work with my Child Abduction Rapid Deployment team"

Before he ends speaking I interrupt him,

"No sir, of course I want to work in child abductions, what I meant was ..."

"Okay Agent Everdeen, I was only joking. But I'm not kidding when I say that I do not want you to interrupt me again" He stops talking. After a moment of silence, he lifts his eyebrow as to give me permission. And I answer embarrased "Yes Sir, you're right, sorry"

After my apology, Abernathy keeps going.

"From what I see in your file, you are a survivor. I hope that, for your sake, because to work here we need very special people. Now , let's go to meet your new team".

He gets up and starts walking with unsteady steps, until he bumps into the table, cursing his luck. Once he leaves the office, reaches to a big meeting room fill with screens and smartboards. There are approximately 8 people, confirming Effie's assumptions that is not just my unit but also the BAU involved. Clearly, the behavioral unit, one of the elite units of the Agency, does not work for some kidnapping case so it looks like my first case it is going to be a big one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 2. Hope you like it.
> 
> As always rates, reviews and grammatical corrections are welcome. They will help to improve both, my English and the story.
> 
> thank you!


	3. Working in a case

 

Director Aberbathy enters the meeting room and I come in behind him.

  
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your new partner: Special Agent Katniss Everdeen. Please, give her a quick update of the cases and let's use all resources that are in our hand to resolve these kidnappings as soon as possible. I expect a report of your progress in the next few hours" He says and then turns around and goes back the way he came.

_Abductions? Plural?_ I think. Well, as I said, the day does nothing but improve.

Everyone gets up to greet me except a woman of about 35 years, with dark hair who remains seated. Introductions are made by a middle-aged man with gray hair and strong features.

  
“Welcome to the team, Agent Everdeen. I am Boggs, the head of the CHARD and he is the special agent Finnick Odair." Says, pointing at an extremely handsome man with bronze hair and deep green eyes.“"Agent Johanna Mason, is the one who didn't stand up. Do not take it personally" says Boggs smiling while Johanna does a grimace and lifts her hand in greeting.

  
"We also have agent Madge Undersee and our computer genius Beetee. I need to introduce you too, to our special advisor, but he has run out in an emergency. He works as psychiatrist with us and at the Presbyterian Hospital also."

  
He takes a break and I think it's the same hospital where Prim works. Besides I can not help but see as Johanna winks at Finnick, like there was something more implying his absence that an emergency.

  
“Delly Cartwright works with us too but had to go down to receive the Mayor's Press Secretary. This case is getting very awful. Finally but not least, from BAU unit in Quantico, Agents Tresh Bailey and Annie Cresta. They are here to help us with these cases."

Once the introductions finished, we sat down again and I have a seat near Finnick. They begin to explain in detail, at what point the investigation is.

“Ten days ago a 12 years girl vanished in the neighborhood of The Seam, located in the Bronx district. Her mother asked her to run some errands from a small store that is only a ten minute walk from their home, if a park is crossed. No one knows anything about her since then. It was late at night. She made it to the store, but never returned home, so she disappeared around 11.30pm. No leads, no evidence at all. It seems that not a living soul saw anything. Truth be told there was not much else to do in this case, until just a few hours ago. A boy of 14 years old disappeared in the same neighborhood when he was delivering pizza riding his bicycle, this time there was a witness who saw how someone got him in a van. The first thing we have to rule out, is whether there is some connection between this two disappearances or abductions as Johanna points. Everdeen and Madge go to the first abducted child house and check if there is a relationship between the two children. Also I would like you both to investigate more in the surroundings of the neighborhood and the store. Finnick and Johanna, I want you to interrogate to the neighbors in the area of the boy's abduction. Annie, you can go with them if you want. I'll stay here with Thresh and Beete. Someone will have to calm down the Mayor and Glimmer”.

We get up and Madge tells me to follow her. We go down with the rest of our colleagues to the parking and take one of the cars allocated to our division. Madge heads to the driver's seat when she turns to me and asks in a light tone:

"Do you wanna drive the car?"

“No, the truth is I didn't get to know New York the couple of times I've been here visiting my sister, who works at the Presbyterian Hospital. it will be faster if you drive... And safe” I add.

"Ok" she says as she gets behind the wheel, and we emerge to the town.

The day is glorious, a deep blue sky and a radiant sky framed the high buildings. The environment is the opposite of the office where everything is lit with artificial white light.  
Madge is not very talkative, which I think is ok, she asks to me a couple of things as where I am from or what I think about the city so far. After the small talk, she starts to explain me more about the family of the missing girl.

“The little girl is Afro-American. Her name is Rue, and as Boggs commented before she has just turned 12. She comes from a very poor family and is the eldest of five children. Her mother has multiple jobs to support her family since their father deserted them when the last baby was born, about 7 months ago. Rue took care of the house and her siblings while she worked”.

I can not help thinking that I lived a similar situation but this one is infinitely more dramatic with 5 little children and a father who left by choice.

"It's here. We have already arrived." Madge says.

We get out of the car and approach to a house which looks very negelcted, even one of the windows is broken and covered with cardboards and plastics. Madge knocks and a woman in her forties opens the door. Her eyes rimmed in red.

"Hello Mrs. Tree could we go in? We need to ask you some questions".

"Do you know anything about Rue? Any clue?" says the woman with hopeful tone, as we enter the sitting room. "Sit down please" says while removing blankets and pillows of a couch that has seen better days.

"To be honest we have nothing new about Rue, but yesterday another child dissapeared in this area and we have a witness who saw how someone forced him into a van. We're trying to confirm whether the same thing could have happened to your daughter or if they are isolated incidents." Madge looks at me and says "Agent Everdeen could you show some pictures of the boy to Mrs. Tree"

I nod and open the folder while I place the pictures of the missing child on the table. I clear my voice and start asking questions:

"Mrs Tree, we would like you to see carefully these pictures. The boy is 14 years old and his name is Paul Maynard. We have already found out that he wasn't attending Rue's school, but could you tell us if he seems familiar to you? Do you think Rue could meet him in any other place? Maybe they were friends or acquaintances"

The woman takes the photos and looks closer at them, one by one, taking her time. But when she finishes, shakes her head.

"I honestly do not remember seeing this kid ever. But if you want we can ask one of my daughters. Daisy" the woman cries as she turns around "could you please come?

A girl comes out of nowhere from behind the curtains, and walks slowly to us. I had not realized she was in the same room, eavesdropping. Clearly she is good at hiding. Daisy looks at the pictures too, but after a few minute, she also shakes her head with a sad look. Madge says goodbye while we get up to leave when Daisy takes my hand and asks shyly:

"You will find Rue, won't you? I miss her so much. I don't know what to do without her, she took care of everything" she recalls, "I haven't met the boy before, but if you leave me a photo I can inquire at school and in the neighborhood. Possibly they explain more things to me that to the FBI. You know... people don't really like the police too much around here."

I can not help but smile and think that Daisy is a very bright girl. In that moment I have an idea. I bend down on my knees to be at its height and say:

"Daisy, we will do our best, but if you want to help us, Agent Undersee and me are going now to the grocery store that Rue went. Did you know if she always took the same path or if she took a shortcut? It would be easier if we could mark the route to search for evidence. "

"Of course!" she exclaims "I can lead you through the park where I used to go with Rue."

I look at Madge waiting for an approval she gives me almost instantly. And we left the house with the little girl.

Daisy takes us to a secluded and solitary path which crosses the park to the grocery store. Madge and I explore it several times and tag anything that may be of importance, even if ten days have passed: footprints, several cigarette butts and a can of soda. We wait till the crime investigation unit comes to collect them before we left.

When we are ready to go, it has become quite late, it's almost 5.00 pm and we have to return to Manhattan.

"I'm going to call the boys to see if they are at the office already or if they have stopped at Paddy's for a drink. Usually when we have a case as this one, we just go home to shower and sleep a few hours and we take lunch even dinner in the headquarter or down at Paddy's to relax a while.This job can be stressful"

She connects the handsfree and calls Johanna, who confirms that they are taking some beer and nachos. We arrived at Paddy's hour later and walked into the bar. It is an Irish pub, as it names indicates, with music and not much light. We see the rest of the team at the back, sitting around a table, talking animatedly.

"How was your day, rookie?" Finnick asks.

"All right" I say "I think we've made some progress, but do not know if it matters."

"In fact, Finnick, Katniss had a great idea. Rue's little sister went with us and showed us the path that her sister used to take in the park. So we gathered some evidence that the laboratory have carried to run some tests"

"I'm impressed" Finnick says, and winks and smiles at me. "We have also been able to gather more information about the van. Beetee is looking for matches with recordings of the traffic cameras. By the way, I would like to introduce you Delly Cartwright"

"Hi," says a smiling red-haired girl "I'm Delly, sorry I have not been able to meet you before, but I was with Glimmer updating her with all the details for the press conference. Glimmer, is the mayor's press secretary."

"Geez! That's a description too friendly and simple of Glimmer "says Johanna." but you will see, Delly thinks the best of everyone. But Glimmer is ..."

"C'mon Johanna" says Delly laughing "leave Katniss alone, she will make her own opinion"

Just then a phone rings and we hear Delly talking to someone:

“Yes we are all at Paddy's. Don't be lazy and come here and you will meet the new agent”.

"Tell him not be a chick! He is safe, his favorite press secretary is not here" says Johanna says while everyone laughs at her comments.

"He says he will come now" says Delly "Katniss, you will love Peeta. He is one of our top consultants. And a gentleman"

Suddenly, I am dumbfounded, not knowing what to say.

_Peeta? Has she just said Peeta?_ I think. _Sure it is not a very common name, but neither he has to be the only Peeta that exists in the world, right? It could be also, that I've understood wrong and she said Peter._ When I notice how Johanna looks at me I close my mouth before saying something.

  
"I'm going to grab a beer, anyone wants anything else?" And I get up as quick as I can before someone else realizes my confusion.

Fifteen minutes passed before I can order at the counter, as the pub has been filled at this time, but I can’t look away from the door. When I am about to go back to our table, I see as the door opens and a man in a gray suit walks in. He heads towards the unit is, while I stop dead, staring at him behind a column. Damn, I think he is the same man I stumbled this morning.

He is a blond man around my same age. He could be Peeta Mellark or not. Certainly he is blond and strong like him, but we haven't seen each other in so many years and with the poor light I could not prove me wrong. So I reach to the table while everybody is chatting, and realize that I haven't calm down since I first heard the name of the adviser.

Delly looks at me and says:

“Peeta, let me introduce you Katniss”.

At that moment the blond man looks up and looks at me. And I no longer have more doubts. I would recognize those eyes anywhere of the world. The advisor of our unit is Peeta Mellark, the boy with the bread.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes! Finally Peeta is here... and let me tell you he is going to be in almost every chapter at least till chapter 21 (that is all I have written till now in the spanish version).  
> Hope you enjoyed it and please apologize for my grammar errors and lack of vocabulary as I'm spanish native speaker, but I'm doing the best I can with the translation.  
> If anyone wants to help me and review the english version it would be great.  
> Please, read and review, your opinions really matters to me.  
> Thanks for reading!


	4. The boy with the bread

The boy with the bread.

"Hello ... Katniss?" Peeta says and shakes my hand.

"Hi" I say in a voice that does not seem mine. I guess, I'm trying to figure out if he remembers me or not. But, why should he remember me? We never talked at school, and although he saved my life, it could be nothing for him. I keep quiet, not knowing how to react. I've never been very good with words and I 'm not sure about giving the impression that I know him... or not. Suddenly I am ashamed of myself.

Come on Katniss, you're a grown woman and you work in the FBI! Are you not going to talk to Peeta, even now? So I make up my mind to take the risk.

"Peeta… Mellark, right?" I ask.

"Yes," he says with a relief sigh.

"I am Katniss Everdeen, if I'm not mistaken we were at school together near Albany. Well "I say after a pause, "I think we even share some classes"

"Of course, I was not sure that you remembered me. The truth is that we did not talk much then" he says while smiling and his face lights up. I'm not sure why, but that smile makes me smile back without hesitation.

We remain silent for a moment as we locked eyes. I wonder what he will be thinking about me, but I can't help thinking, that he is just as attractive and honest as ever. At that time, Johanna interrupts us saying:

"Well, well, this is a coincidence, isn't it? Are you two, really, from that small village of yours Mellark?" She pauses, but quickly resumes "By the way, I think you can already let go your hands"

At that moment I realized I'm still glued to Peeta and force my stiff fingers to open. I can not help but blush, luckily this pub is very dark and no one has been able to see my red cheeks.

"Johanna, I've always said that my small village, as you call it, is not so small. But of course, you'd know that, if I had gotten you out of this city sometime".

"Aw Mellark, you know I'm not a country girl!" She grins mischievously "By the way, before you arrived we were explaining to Katniss why you ran away this morning. Maybe you would like to finish the story..." and sticks out her tongue, mocking him.

Peeta keeps looking Johanna without being intimidated.

"Ok, I had an emergency at the hospital," He explained. "But Johanna, as a good FBI agent, likes sticking her nose in other people's business and see beyond. Just ignore her, half of what she says is not true".

While Johanna gives him a dirty look, all of our phones start ringing with an emergency alert.

"Okay guys," says Finnick "break's over. Boggs wants us to go up to the office."

We head for the door. Paddy's is just one block away from the FBI building. The mood has changed, and the faces are serious. We come back to our floor to meet in the office with Beete and Boggs. Without waiting for us to take a seat, Boggs begins:

"The police has found a dead girl, just hours ago, near the river. We think is our girl. As far as the forensic surgeon identifies the body, he will call us. Someone will have to go and tell what we found to the family. We need that the mother goes to the hospital and officially identifies the corpse. We haven't been told much more, so we need to collect all the information we can. Beete, please keep going with the new data about the van".

"In accordance with the intel we have, which is that the car is a blue van, we really don't have much information. However, we are looking at all the traffic cameras that are closer to the point where the boy was abducted, but this is like finding a needle in a haystack. We are also reviewing the videos of the banks in that district, but we need more videos from other facilities in the area and try to determine which direction they took".

"Peeta and Madge should go and see to accompany her to the hospital. You" says pointing to the rest of us "don't have anything to do here, so go home, until we have new tracks or until 7am".

I hold back my tears and only can think about Daisy's eyes when they tell to her that her sister is dead.

"But I was at their house this morning and would like to go with them" I say.

"Agent Everdeen, for your first day, I think you have had enough, and when I tell you to go home and rest you should take advantage of it. Believe me".

"Boggs, please allow Katniss to come with us. One of Rue's sisters trust her and it would be easier for her" replies Madge.

Boggs seems unconvinced but eventually agrees. The three of us leave the building, and head back to The Seam for a second time in a day.

Peeta and Madge are seated in the front of the car talking about details of the case and I send a whatsapp to Prim, saying that I will be at her hospital in a while.

I can not help looking through the rearview mirror by which I can spy on Peeta. His hair is longer now, it is combed in a casual yet elegant way. His jaw is square and strong and he has high cheekbones. And of course there are his eyes, which are of an inimitable blue, a blue that I still remember. At that time he also looks at me in the mirror and I look down and embarrassed, as if I was spying, but of course that's exactly what I was doing.

The way to The Seam is much faster with the slow night traffic, when Peeta stops in front of the door, we are silent and the tension can be felt inside the car.

"Katniss, it would be better if Peeta notifies the news to the family. He is... well, he knows how to do these things" Madge says.

"Maybe, but I rather not having to do it ever" he says with a sad half-smile.

My heart shrinks and I realize that I am very grateful for not having to do it. We knocked on the door and a woman, a little older than Mrs. Tree, opens it.

"Yes, what do you need?" she says with a tone of distaste in her voice.

"Good night, we're from the FBI and we need to talk with Mrs. Tree. It is really important, could you tell her to come out?"

"Ok, you come in and wait in the living room, please"

We return to the room we've been this morning, which is lit by a single lamp that just gives light, dirty and yellowish.

I keep looking to the curtain where Daisy was hiding this morning, but she is not there now, thankfully. Some minutes later, Mrs Tree is on the doorframe and before we can tell her nothing, she already knows by the seriousness of our faces.

"No" she says yelling out "No..." and falls to her knees while hugging her sister, both of them crying, inconsolable.

Peeta approaches them, and bends down. He grabs by her shoulders and looks deep into her eyes. She stops crying for a moment while looking at him.

"Rose, right?" says Peeta with tenderness in his voice that not to be moved is out of the question. She nods, "Would you mind coming to sit with me?"

He helps her up while squeezes her hand gently but firmly to take her to the couch. I do not know how he did it, but his simple proximity to Rue's mother, his look, his touch, seems to be like a balm and has calmed her down. Peeta begins to explain that we have found a girl dead of the age of Rue that matches the data we have, but she must come with us to the hospital to identify the body.

While Ms. Tree cries inconsolably next to Peeta, I realize someone is touching my hand. When I feel the contact, I know it is Daisy, but I refuse to turn around and face her eyes. Eyes that this morning shone with hope but now will be dead. But I know I have to turn around and face this little girl.

I take a deep breath and turn to her while I kneel, before I can't tell her anything, she hugs me and begins to mourn. I can't help feeling that I've failed, that I could not get to save his sister. And it kills me.

One of the reasons I applied for this job in the CARD unit is because there is something innate in me since the death of my father that makes me want to protect Prim, and these little girls remind me of Prim. In a less romantic level, I am a hunter. And the FBI is perfect place for hunting animals that are capable of killing a 12 year old girl. I pull myself together with that thought and finally I can confront Daisy's gaze with confidence.

"We'll catch whoever has done this, don't worry" I say convinced. She nods

"I have to go up to look after my small siblings, they will be concerned. Thanks Agent Everdeen"

We left the house and come back to Manhattan and the hospital. The forensic's room is in a deep basement. We exit from the elevator and go into a never-ending aisle, illuminated by tubes which gives a white light, and gives it a desolate appearance.

Peeta holds by the arm, but she still wobbles along the hall. I know how she feels, and unfortunately does not make my job easier. Finally we arrived at one doo and Peeta helps Rose to sit down on a bench. He tells Madge to look after her while he goes to talk and fetch the Doctor, Darius. A few minutes go by, when I see Peeta accompanied by a red-haired man with white skin who tells us that we can go inside.

He leads us to a stretcher and lifts the sheet.

"Is this Rue, Mrs Tree?" Peeta asks.

She nods and faints but doesn't fall to the ground because both Peeta and Darius catch her on the fly. When she recovers a little from the dizziness, Peeta goes with her to the emergency room. While Madge and I stay with Darius, who explains a little of his progress, since the official analysis has not yet started.

"What I can tell you is that she died about 48 hours ago, apparently bled to death. She has multiple stab wounds in the body, although none of them is too deep or fatal to cause death. Based on the criminology report, there was a lot of blood and traces of it all around, it seems that the girl was running away from something. But until a few hours I will not have the final results. I hope this helps you for now".

We thank him and walked out. We stop for Peeta in the desk of ER, which is perfect because that's where Prim is doing her rotation. He comes in a minute. While Madge updates him about what Darius has told us, I ask a nurse for my sister, and she calls Prim. I approach them, but only a few minutes or seconds later, I hear my sister yelling my name and pounce on me. I have only time to see a blonde girl in a white coat and a smile from ear to ear before melting into a hug with her.

That is Prim, she is my beloved sister. Quite the opposite to me, she has an easy way and smile. She is tender and outgoing. Since I can remember she always wanted to help others. It is impossible not to love Prim. I smile and squeeze her hands.

"I want to introduce my sister, Doctor Primrose Everdeen" I say with a thinly disguised pride in my voice. "Prim, these are my mates' unit, Madge Undersee and Peeta Mellark."

"A pleasure. I'm Prim Everdeen and I'm not a Doctor yet. Hi Madge, nice to meet you" says and reaches out her hand. She turns and looks at Peeta. "But I already know Doctor Mellark, well not personally, of course" she says blushing. "Everyone in the hospital knows him. He's a kind of hero around here" she ends the sentence with admiration.

What? I think, What is going on here? I consider with a sense of unease. It seems that everything today, all the day long, is been revolving around this man.

"Thanks but it is not such a big deal" says Peeta with a small smile.

Before this weird conversation, at least weird to me, continues, we hear steps and see several doctors and nurses in a hurry.

"Prim, let's go. Ambulances are about to be here. A building has collapsed. We need you!" says one yelling without stopping.

Prim forces a smile and gives me a kiss before she runs off with her colleagues. Right then the room becomes a hive of people and Peeta leads us to another exit.

"Well, may I drive you home? Peeta asks.

"No, it's not necessary" says Madge "Thom has finished his shift and is coming to collect me. Tonight I will stay at his house, as I'm already in this part of the town. See you tomorrow" she says waving her hand and walking away.

"Katniss, I'll take you home in my car if you want".

"Hmmm. No, it is not necessary, I think I'll take the subway," I reply

"Now? it is late. It is not really safe depending on where you go. I know I'm talking to a FBI agent, but still I'd feel better if I take you home".

"No, really, I don't want to be a bother" And besides, I think, I don't want to owe anything more to the boy with the bread.

"Katniss, it is not a trouble. After days like today, with the Rue thing... Well you know what I mean... I am not able to sleep, at least for a while. You'd do me a favor, if I can be busy for a while longer. Maybe that way I could avoid nightmares" says wearily, his eyes sad "To be honest I do not sleep too much"

Perhaps I'm fooling myself, but if this is a favor «for him» and not the other way around, I can let him to drive me home.

"Okay, but I don't live too close from here. I live in Brooklyn" and after a few seconds of hesitation I add "Thanks"

But for the records, I only thank him as a courtesy, because I don't need anyone to accompany me home. I can go by myself, but I'm allowing so he can rest well. Like he was reading my mind, Peeta replies that "thanks to me".

On the way home, in his car, he asks me my address for the GPS and puts on a CD.

"Patrick Doyle" says referring to the music "I love his work. He is a composer, specifically a soundtrack composer. Do you like cinema?"

"Yeah, right, like everyone I guess, though I'm not a great expert"

"Oh me neither!" he exclaims "it is not like I'm mad about movies but I have a large collection at home… for fun. The guys from the unit come home occasionally to do some movie or TV show marathon. Each time one of us chooses what we have to watch. You can not imagine how mad were Johanna, Madge, Delly and Annie the day that Boggs chose a Rambo marathon, five movies in a row. Well, the truth is that I was not very happy with the election neither, but I had to hide it. Team boys after all... you know what I mean".

I realize that we're laughing out loud. How is it possible? We have just left a murdered girl and her devastated mother, one hour ago. But that is Peeta Mellark's effect, I say to myself. Back in High school, he got people to feel good. I was always jealous of how much fun and happy his friends' group seemed. Today I have seen it with Rose and now with me. As if that were not enough, both my sister Madge have suggested something similar too. He has managed to dispel the tense atmosphere that may exist between us, after the tough and hard day we've had and after knowing nothing of each other for ten years. Someone has to mention Albany by now, so I decide to ask first.

"Do you usually go home?"

"No, only a few days at Christmas and during summer. I love the sunsets in the mountains in summer. I have not found them anywhere else. Do you go there?"

"Well, at first, while Prim was still at home I used to go every weekend. And so I could continue with our small stall in the market and get some additional money. On holidays I also went there for the touristic and hunt groups. Then Prim went to college and I was accepted in Quantico, and since then I've only been back a few times. The last one, just before coming here. Believe it or not I made the move yesterday and Gale helped me move my stuff".

"Gale and his mother were running the stall with you, weren't they?"

"Yes, Gale is my best friend. Since we met shortly after the death of my father"

By the way, I hope it is not a bad time to bring this up but I heard about what happened to your mother a couple of years ago. I'm really sorry. I wish I could not say it before to you..."

I mutter a thank you in a low voice feeling uneasy but suddenly Peeta says with mischievous voice.

"But of course, I didn't know where you were. We can't say that we talked a lot in high school or that you were paying attention to me. Katniss: the great hunter. I was so intimidated by you" and he starts laughing.

He has done it again, I think with exasperation. How does he get it? After his words of my mother, the car was filled with tension again and I was anxious to get home and to get out of this small space with him, but then, with a few sentences and a smile, we feel new comfortable.

In that precise moment we turn a corner and I recognize my street.

"We're already here, it is a couple of buildings ahead."

Peeta stops the car in front of my door and says goodbye.

"Thank you very much for letting me bring you home Katniss, I think I'm more relaxed now. I think that maybe, maybe I could get some sleep when I get home!"

He shakes my hand to say goodbye and leans over to give me a kiss on the cheek.

Thank you for the ride. See you tomorrow at the office.

I leave the car and head for home. Until I close the door and wave goodbye. Clearly it is a gentleman, as Delly said, waiting for me to be safe. Once inside the portal, I lean on the door, and start thinking about how intense was the day. It is a small world. Yesterday I was thinking about Peeta and his life and today I meet him on my unit. I start my way to my apartment, three floors above, going over the conversations I've had with him: How I think he was relieved when I recognized him at the pub and how amazing he was tonight to communicate Rue's death.

Absorbed in my encounter with Peeta Mellark, I go into my house, and press the button of the answering machine, as I enter the bedroom and put on my pajamas, to see if I can sleep a few hours. The first message is from the manager of the apartment, expecting that everything is ok with it, he explains than in a couple of weeks he will come to check the bathroom's pipes. The second is from Gale.

I freeze when I hear his voice on the answering machine and I do not anticipate anything good:

"Catnip how you doing? I know we agree to call in a few weeks when you were settled and had something to tell, but I could not help it. But get back to our town, see your house, go into the woods and feel your absence, has made me realize that this is not right. I miss you, you already know that. And even we weren't supposed to talk about what happened after the death of your mother ... well, I do not agree with that anymore and I need to talk to you, about us. I know you, and I know you're going to hate me when you hear this. So I rather leave a message for you to ponder. I'll call you in a few days. I'm sending you a kiss. Bye "

I collapsed on the bed, after hearing the message. No, I think, I can't deal with this now. It is too much: the case, New York, the murder, Peeta, Gale...

I push the whole thing out of my mind because for some reason Gale and Peeta do not coexist well together in my thoughts. Fortunately I'm exhausted and before I can think of anything more, I just fell asleep half-dressed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! I'm here again with chapter 4. Hope you enjoyed, this is one of my favourites chapters.
> 
> As always, I'm sorry for any mistake. And I want to thank to all the people who is following this story, means a lot to me.
> 
> Please review, your comments are always welcome, anf if someone wants to help with the "translation thing" please raise your hands.


	5. A Dinner with Prim

There is too much sunshine coming through the window to be 5.30, I think sleepy. Oh no! Oh no! Damn!

I jump from the bed. I should be in the office at 7am. I look at the clock and mutter... Oh no! Already 6.15am! I'll be very late on my second day.

There is no time for a shower now, so I redo my braid the best I can. I put on a pair of jeans, a white shirt and a gray jacket and run out without even makeup. I blame Gale, Peeta and whoever crosses my mind this morning. I go running in the subway and pounce on the train before the doors close. I sit down, still nervous and oh no! Oh no! I'm wearing only a sock... Oh come on! This is not fair!

When I get to the office, everyone has been there already, of course. I walk into the room like a whirlwind.

"I'm Sorry, so sorry. I don't know how I didn't hear the alarm. I overslept but it won't happen again. Oh my God I'm really sorry Boggs ... I rushed from home, and I'm even not wearing one of my socks!"

All of them, every single one, burst to laugh. Boggs tells me I've been only fifteen minutes late, and that they haven't started yet.

"You have not been the only one who has overslept this morning. It is quite common in this unit unfortunately, and we already have a protocol for these cases. Besides, you are under control Everdeen, we know where you live..." He says with an amused voice "But this will teach you to go home when you have been ordered to do that by your supervisor. We had not started yet. So sit while Beete updates us."

"Good morning to everyone. Mellark, can you hear me well with the hands free?" Beete questions in the air.

My humiliation is even more complete when I hear Peeta at the phone. Why on earth did I speak of my socks?

"Loud and clear, good morning to all" he pauses for a moment and continues "Hello Katniss, if you need I can send you a pair of socks, just tell me what type you need and a messenger will be there in minutes" he says mocking me.

Of course everyone laughs with the wisecrack, except me, at that moment I scowl and I just want to grab him by the neck. How I had come to believe that this man was charming?

"Come on Katniss, do not frown. It's a joke. After all, you're the rookie. I'm really sorry, I apologize. I won't tease you anymore."

It seems that he can see and know what I think, just like last night. He ends the sentence with such a lovely voice full of regret that I can't help but laugh like everyone, finally.

"Well, that is enough for a break. Let's start. Rue's report has been sent by the hospital. As Darius told you yesterday night, the girl was dead around 48 hours before she was found, bled to death from multiple cuts. The hypothesis is that she was running away, since we found traces of blood up to a pier on the river. She had to get there swimming because she had substances and products of the river stuck on her skin and hair, so we can assume that she was held prisoner somewhere upstream or in a boat. Other than that, the only significant thing is that she had a fresh red-hot iron mark with the number 11 on one of her thighs. We also found, near where she died something that she tried to write with her bloody finger. You can read "tri". There are more than 650 words in English that begins by "tri", and that, we do not know if it's the beginning, middle or end of the word. I will give you a list."

"For now, our best clue is a blue van, anyone wants to watch the videos?" Boggs says.

Given the apparent lack of volunteers to the most monotonous work, I know ,that as a freshman, it's going to be me the one chosen, so why don't score some points with my mates?

"I volunteer" I say.

"Okay, then Katniss and Johanna. Everdeen, I'll assign you with each of the members of the unit during these days and you will have the chance to work with all" Boggs explains" That is, all of them will be sitting next to me to watch hours and hours of recording just in case we could find, not a blue van because there are thousands, but a license plate in "the blue van". "The rest, investigate the leads from Beetee and keep speaking to all: family, friends and even acquaintances from the two children."

Johanna and I are going to a room to watch the videos on the screens. The task is not too complicated, so Johanna, which is not the discreet type, starts to push around questions and give me information on who's who in the unit and how they work and interact.

"Hmmm, I've never really met him, but I knew him by sight from the school. We never talked much, I guess we were not in the same social circle, he was always surrounded by people, he was very popular ... you understand what I mean, don't you?"

"Oh, of course, Mr. Popularity! No matter where he goes, he is always surrounded by people. For a reason he was on the New York's Most Eligible Bachelors, until Glimmer appeared in the scene ... I guess this year he will be in the list again," she says laughing out loud.

"So they were dating and broke up?" I ask with a curiosity that it is not like me. Generally the life of others, especially if we talk about the romantic life of the people, does not matter to me, but I excuse myself thinking that, this case is different, because we have known each other for ages, and I've always considered, since the day of the bread, tied to him somehow.

It is not, by no means, that I'm interested in him.

"Yes, they were together for about a year. We never knew what happened, but since then Glimmer is trying to date him again and Peeta leaves in a hurry whenever he sees her, as yesterday morning. He is a gentleman and never would tell us ... and I assure you that we have not stopped asking" says winking. Suddenly she gets serious and adds "I never understood well, we never understood how Peeta could be with her, apart from the obvious I mean. But that's not him, at all".

"It seems that you know him very well".

"Yes, Peeta and I studied together at Harvard. This is one of the reasons he agreed to be an adviser of our unit, because of our friendship"

After this talk. We silently watch the recordings. Johanna goes down for a moment to buy some sandwiches and salads for lunch and I take the chance to call Prim and meet her for dinner.

After several hours, we have managed to identify about 30 blue vans that could match the description we have. We pass that information to Beetee, to see what he can find.

About 5.30pm, I'm getting ready for my appointment with my sister, when Boggs tells me that tomorrow I'll be on the night shift, so I don't have to go to the office until 6pm, although my mobile has to be connected. It is the standard procedure when we are working on a case.

This gives me something more than twenty-four hour for myself. The maximum free time, that I have had since I arrived to New York City.

Just 3 days ago? I wonder.

I think I've been here for weeks by the intensity of all that has happened. Well, tomorrow I will take advantage of the day to do some sports and look for a gym, I think with optimism. Running always relaxes me.

The Greek restaurant that Prim has chosen, is very close to my office, and about twenty minutes on foot, so I decide to walk and start getting familiar with New York.

When I arrive, my sister is already sitting on a chair next to the window. I approach from her back and kiss her head as I used to do when she was a little and tender girl.

"Hi little duck" I say.

"Katniss, don't you think I'm a little older to call me that? By the way, I ordered for the both of us. I hope you don't mind, but since I have to go to the hospital in a little while, it was the best option".

She is trying to look upset and angry with me but I know that she loves her nickname. It's our little game. For many years, even when my mother was alive, we were just her and me.

Prim quickly starts to talk about the hospital: shifts, the cases that she has taken and about her companions. We eat a Greek salad with a smooth conversation but when we begin with the second dish, an appealing moussaka, Prim looks at me with a deep expression:

"Rory told me that Gale helped you with the moving from home and Quantico. I know you don't like to talk about it or about him anymore, but how is everything with Gale?"

I should have guessed that Rory, one of Gale's little brothers, would talk to Prim, and that my sister would follow this subject closely. I had not been thinking about Gale or his message today and the truth is that I feel a little guilty for not having returned his call, or at least, sent him an email or message but I can't think of anything else besides my work, and Gale has no right to ask me for more explanations right now. "This", he and I, happened ages ago and now I'm not ready for a relationship. I can't focus on him or my romantic life.

"Prim, there is nothing to tell about Gale. Please, I don't wanna start with this matter again"

"Okay, alright! Someday you'll have to talk about men with me or another human being. You're in the FBI not in a convent ... you know it, don't you? But okay, let's talk about work then" she says with a casual tone while lookingat me mischievously. I can already imagine where she wants to get with this conversation so I interrupt her.

"Oh no, Prim! There is no way we are going to talk about... " But I shut up my mouth before saying "him".

"About what? I was just going to ask you how goes the case" she says in an innocent voice. So I calm down and lower my guard.

"The truth is that for my first case, it seems to be difficult, and we already have our first victim. It's going to be tough".

"What about your mates? Are they helping you?"

"Yes, they all look very professional and nice"

"You can say! if all your FBI colleagues are like Peeta Mellark it doesn't surprise me. All women in the hospital have a crush on him"

I roll my eyes because somehow I knew my sister would not give in without a fight. But of course, if I didn't want to talk to her about Gale, no way I'm going to talk about Peeta with her.

"To be honest, I don't know him that much, so I can't tell anything about him. He's okay, I guess. Yes, he is nice" I comment with an evasive answer.

"Come on Katniss, do you think I'm stupid? Peeta is the boy with the bread. Though you never directly tell me about him or you never refer to him by his name, I always knew who the boy with the bread was. You have never been good pretending... And you always looked at him when we passed near their bakery back from school".

I look at her surprised, mouth-opened, not knowing what to say. I cover my face with my hands while I notice that I'm turning red. Well, my naive little sister it is not so naive anymore. I frown, but I can't be angry with her. When she sees my face she tells me:

"No more talk about guys if that is what you want. But Katniss, you don't have many friends, and even if you think that you have enough with your work, yours is a hard work and you will have to lean on someone sooner or later. As far as I know, Peeta would be a very good choice. He is a good person... and really handsome"

As I don't know what to say, I change the subject by asking her about her roommates who are always a great source of anecdotes. My sister forgets the issue, at least for now, and starts to explain something funny that Sarah did last weekend.

Maybe Prim is right, and I need to open up to someone and have a friend in this city. Peeta would be a great choice I'm sure of that: we have a common past and at some we care about each other. Even though, that is too much to say.

But he scares me because good people always have a way to get to my heart ... and this, in the case of Doctor Mellark, seems very dangerous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, reviews are much appreciated! What do you like more? And less? hope to hear from all of you. Thanks to my beta who helps me with the English translation!


	6. The Museum

6\. The Museum

 

Next day I don't get up too early. In the end, I don't have to go to work until 6pm and yesterday night I had nightmares again. So I stay in bed until late morning, enjoying the peace and quiet of my house.

When I finally get up, I decide to call Gale. Someday I'll have to talk to him. But I lost courage soon and I only send him a message.

«We are deeply involved in a case of multiple disappearances. I know that we need to talk, but not now. Give me more time».

This is as much I can honestly give.

I go out looking for a gym and I come across a center of "Hot Yoga". Ok, I say to myself aloud, as I'm trying to "take chances", let's try this. I come in and stay for the next class. What's most surprising is not that I'm relaxed and feeling great when the sesion finishes but almost from the beginning I've felt that way.

I decide that I'm going to combine running with yoga. Very proud of myself for this step forward. I go up home and review several notes from the case while I am eating a quick salad. I dress with more care than yesterday, trying not to repeat the sock issue. For a night shift reviewing videos, I wear casual trousers and a thin white half sleeve shirt. About the hair I am too lazy to dry it with this heat so I leave it down.

Although I'm early, I am not surprised to find Finnick already there. In this unit, it seems no one has its own life ... or at least, they don't have their own home.

With his usual mocking style, which I begin to know, he asks me if Johanna yesterday interrogated me about every minimum detail of my life.

"I suppose so, although she almost gave me more information about you."

“Ow! You know then that Annie and I are engaged?“

"Hmmmm, no. We focus more on Peeta and press secretary ... what's her name again? Oh yes, Glimmer, right?" Maybe I'm behaving like a teenager but I don't want them to think that I care because I do not care at all and I nod my head to reinforce my mental affirmation "Well Congratulations! I knew nothing".

“We will throw an engagement party soon, I'm sure Annie will delighted to invite you. Hopefully by then, this case will be closed”.

We start to watch videos and more videos, especially traffic videos. It is a dull and heavy job. But it seems that today we will finish it.

Around 9pm the phone rings and Finnick leaves the room to answer the call but he quickly reappears.

"We're leaving. We have to check first to Boggs. Pick me up at the exit. I'll tell you the way."

I jump out of my chair, filled with adrenaline, it's clear that something important happened. I head down to the garage to take the car and go out to collect Finnick. Just thirty seconds later he appears and running he enters into the car almost leaping.

“Go to the MOMA, I'll give you directions”.

The call he has just answered was from Peeta. He thinks that two children, siblings: brother and sister more specifically might be vanished from the event he was attending in the the MoMA. When we reach our destination we parked in the place reserved for official cars and entered into the museum. Everything is full of posters about the "Mellark Foundation for young prodigy artists". So Peeta, not only works at the hospital, and as an advisor to the FBI but also has an artistic foundation. I begin to see the truth of his words about not sleeping.

We stand at the entrance of a gallery, when I see "them" coming towards us, Peeta and Glimmer. She is wearing an amazing gold dress that leaves little to the imagination and that must be worth as much as I earn in a whole month, her high-heeled shoes are incredible if I wear them, I would walk like a duck and would be dizzy because of the height. At that time I think of my baggy pants and my hair uncombed.

As they approach, she catches his arm. Maybe Johanna was wrong, and the "Golden Boy" of New York was again dating someone. Of course, I agree with Johanna that she does not seem to be the ideal woman of a man like Peeta, although by Finnick's obvious face it is sure that men have a different opinion. That's one reason why I've never fallen head over heels for a man. They are too predictable. I notice that the situation has made me quite uncomfortable.

"Hi, thanks for coming to both of you. I'll give you a quick update. It might be nothing, but it's pretty weird. The Lyudens came to the event with their two children, a 13 year old boy and her sister, she is 15. Around two hours ago, they were sent back home in the limousine service that we hired for this event.

Their parents began to worry when they called them without answer. Then they contacted their domestic servant and the concierge but they have confirmed that the children had not arrived. They called the police, firefighters and hospitals to check for an accident, but by now there is nothing”.

"It doesn't fit well in with the other disappearances" says Finnick "Besides, two children from the upper part of the city would call much more attention than two children from the Seam. I'm not saying that there's nothing Peeta, but this may be a kidnapping for money"

"I hope so!" Glimmer interrupts in an arrogant way "I do not want to have to explain that this is the work of the same person, and less without clear evidence."

"I don't know" Peeta keeps saying "I have a bad feeling about this. If you don't mind I will go back to the office with you."

Glimmer looks at him with a pout on her face, I can understand that male sex considers it adorable, but for me it is as if I was given a kick in the gut.

"I'm sorry, Glimmer" Peeta says cautiously "but we will take that drink another day."

The three of us turn around and leave the museum. Truth be said, the farewell between Peeta and Glimmer has been colder than anything else, I think as a smile escapes my mouth.

"What was that Mellark? ...Glimmer again? Well done boy!" Finnick laughs out loud.

"Odair doesn't jump to conclusions. This was an event, a party of the foundation and there had to have be someone from the Mayor's office ... And it seems, that she was the only one available. Would you mind if we go first to my apartment to change my clothes?”

The truth is that with Glimmer by his side, and worried about my own appearance, I had not noticed it. He is wearing a tuxedo that fits his body like a glove and his hair is combed in a more formal way that the last few days.

No wonder why the explosive blonde or my sister’s hospital mates are crazy about this man... Wait what? What did I just think?

I start to blush.

"Katniss, you've been quiet so far. What do you think?" Finnick asks me.

There is no way I am going to explain what I was thinking to them and to him. So adopting a professional pose I say:

"It might be too early to draw conclusions and perhaps this all is a coincidence, but in The Seam a boy and a girl disappeared, and now here too. I'm with Peeta that this is strange, and I also have a bad feeling. Anyway, if their vanishing is a kidnapping, it won't take long for to us to discover. Someone will contact the parents for a ransom, before or after. "

We have reached Peeta's, which is very close to the MOMA, and directly across from Central Park ... I can't suppose how much it can cost!. When he inserts the key in the elevator and press the top floor, it no longer surprises me.

The apartment is a duplex in the upper east side of Manhattan, decorated in a minimalist way, but it shows good taste everywhere you look. I look at the paintings, mostly canvas, that give a touch of color and cheer to the decor in white, black and silver dominating the lounge. The paintings are abstract, warm and absorbent. They are really mesmerizing.

"I only need five minutes to change clothes, make yourselves at home," he says as he climbs the stairs.

He must be kidding, right? My apartment is smaller than his living room.

Of course this is not like being at home, at all! I approach the window where Finnick is, despite how much I dislike heights, to see the amazing views of Manhattan and its skyline. It's so awesome that takes away my breath. Few views except my mountains, have made me feel so small.

Maybe, after all, New York is not so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, hope you like this chapter is more focus on the case that on Peeta and Katniss, but soon they will have some moments together. So please, keep waiting :-)
> 
> I would love to hear from you, so please can you leave a review?
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	7. More Kidnappings

When we got to the office it is almost 11 pm although everyone is there, even to my surprise Director Abernathy, which intimidates me enough.

"I have a bad feeling about this case," he says.

He is the third person who expresses aloud his suspicion on this case. Anybody outside the FBI, would think that we are less analytical, but in the academy, they teach us to follow the evidence but our instincts too, and about intuition, I know a lot.

I remember once I was in the woods with Gale and was also the beginning of a warm summer. We had gone to the lake to cool off after checking the day was peaceful and slow. My favorite days are the ones that pass slowly, like the easy flow of a heavy river, slowly but surely.

The lake was a place that brought me bittersweet memories, mostly related to my father. The best times I spent with him were here, but the lake also reminded me of his death. I guess that is why I always felt a little uneasy here, however everything was erased when I dive into the water. I loved to lie up floating, feeling where the sun was kissing my skin, listening to the silence across the water and imagining the waves rocking me softly, like in the ocean.

Only one I had seen the sea. It was during a trip with our high school, but it had been engraved forever in my mind: the velvet touch of the warm sand under my feet, the sound of the waves, and the feeling that you were caught between earth and heaven.

When we finished our swim, I was relaxed and calm, but just a few minutes later a shiver ran down my spine. I didn't know why but something had changed and the air around us was tense. As the quiet before the storm.

Gale, oblivious to everything, kept talking about where to place our snare lines, the routes we should cover if we opened our guide service... I made him shut his mouth, my finger to my lips in a gesture of silence. I grabbed my bow and an arrow, ready to shoot. Gale did the same thing, seeing that the situation was serious. The response came hardly a few seconds later, when suddenly we heard a grunt and a huge and a gigantic bear ran out of the forest towards us. Without stepping back, we started to shoot, but the bear was inevitably in our direction, until finally I hit it in the eye.  
The bear finally stopped and turned back disappearing among the trees. We ran to the nearest ranger station to inform them of the bear attack and that it was wounded. It was true that we hunt, but never a noble and wonderful animal. Bears were respected in Adirondack, one of our prides.  
Thankfully they found our black bear, late that day, with my arrow still nailed. They managed to reduce and heal it. The bear ended up being one-eyed, but the story began to circulate among the residents and tourists, and gave me a certain fame that came in handy for our small business.  
Gale always said we had a stroke of luck, but I knew there was something more beyond luck.

This kind of intuition, seems that is also shared with Haymitch and Peeta and unfortunately, leads this case to anything good. If finally our fears come true, we are talking about 4 kidnapped children, one murder ... and no consistent evidence.

"Beetee, lets's start with the cameras of the museum and apply the facial recognition program. I want all of you to review the file of each one who attended at tonight's event. And tomorrow, all of you have to begin to interrogate them. If finally they have been kidnapped for money and there is no relationship with Rue and Paul's case, I think I could breathe again. But if in 24 or 48 hours we know nothing, we must assume that it is the same individual and we will have to face a psychopath. Peeta, tell us what you remember about the party, please".

Peeta got up from the chair and walked around the table, he position himself at the front, opposite of the screens. I noticed that he looked tired and had dark circles. He took a breath and after a pause he began his story.

"It is the annual gala of the Mellark Fiundation. Each year, we endow a scholarship to ten young artists, we pay their studies and we organize a series of exhibitions. The year ends with a selection of their works for a charity auction at the MOMA. This is the third year it is conducted by our foundation. I can't remember anything unusual, nor any incident. I guess there was many people and I dedicated myself to talking to my guests. I think the better idea is to ask my assistant for the will be able to send us the names of all the providers and will check with security if everything was quiet as I recall. Sorry, I'm not much help".

I stare at Peeta and I realize that I recognize the look in his face, he is pretending that he is calm and keeps his voice steady and strong. But I know, somehow, he feels when he won the State Championship to his brother. Peter belonged to the school wrestling team and was one of the best fighters. One of his older brothers, Hunk, was also a member of the same team. Generally, they ranked first and second in the Regionals. His brother always won, as he was almost two years older and stronger and he was clearly bigger in size.

That year the event was in our city, in our gym. Both Prim and I, as Gale and his siblings went to see the little ones were excited, because besides of an afternoon of competition, and fight was an important sport in Albany, we had promised them to treat some popcorn and a soda. So it was like Christmas or a birthday for them, because we used to have no money for this kind of extravagance.

When our team came into the pavilion, everyone stood to applaud. All of them, walked towards the ring with a face of concentration, but Peeta, who did nothing more than look at the audience as if looking for someone... nervous. Several girls from our grade greeted him effusively. Sure, he was looking for one of those girls' eyes, wanted to find her glare.

At one point, before starting his first fight, he looked back into the stands and noticed me, which was not surprising at all because Rory, Vick and Prim were bawling like mad. They were definitely the loudest of the pavilion.  
The competition was ongoing and Peeta was passing rounds as expected, until he reached the final and had to compete against Hunk. The first period was like an exploration, I guess because the two of them knew each other so well. But in the second, Peeta took the initiative, and a few seconds before the end, he managed to immobilize his brother who could do nothing. When he won the fight, we were all jumping of joy. It had been a big surprise, and Peeta was much appreciated than his older brother in our high school. In the medal ceremony, Hunk refused to shake hands with Peeta. He looked toward I was seated and smiled sadly. With the lights off it was impossible that he could distinguish someone... or me, I thought with a quiver, possibly due his dejection face. When the ceremony finished, we went into the cold night. We haven't walked a hundred yards when I noticed that I had left my scarf. I asked them to keep going way home while I went back for it.

I entered in the dark hall. An eerie silence reigned, especially when compared with the sound of hundreds of teenagers that were cheering up just few minutes ago. Finally I got to our seats and found my scarf under my seat. I picked it up and started going out into the hallway when I heard them. They were having an argument. Hunk told Peeta that this tournament was a great opportunity to be recruited by a scout who could give him entrance to a good college and that he had ruined his future. Peeta defended himself and muttered something under his breath, but his brother laughed scornfully as he left the hall slamming the door. I kept hidden behind the lockers, but I could not help but stick out my head and look at him. His eyes were filled with a mixture of guilt and pain. The same eyes that I was seeing in him now.

Surprised, I realized that I have not been oblivious to him either and that I have kept track of the boy with the bread from a distance. Peeta, Johanna and Madge are ready to go the Luyden's residence to wait for a call and to search in the rooms of the children, just to see if they find any indication of their last days. I can't keep myself under control before I approach him and say:

"You know it's not your fault, don't you?"

He looks at me tired and says:

"I'm sorry, but I can't help thinking that I am responsible for what happened. They were my guests and my employees. It was my party. I should have been more thoughtful. Anyway, thank you very much for your concern ..."

He smiles tilting his head and I feel a sting in my heart in a way that I don't know how to define. Like from that memory in the gym when we were teenagers. I don't want to make a big deal so I blame what I felt to his empathy and his ability to convey emotions, that somehow, reaches to the people around him.

Once they leave, the rest of us stay and review the data from the different contractors for the gala by Cecelia, Peeta's personal assistant. The limousine company, is what interests us most. It is called Panem Lim and is part of a holding company called Capitol Enterprises. The night goes witjouth any fresh news.  
About 4 in the morning we are called from the Police Headquarters in New York because they have found an abandoned limousine in the north of the city and a body that could be the driver who's been shot in the temple. The children do not appear though, but they tell us that they have to comb in more detail the whole area.

When we arrived the criminal department is already examining the place. It could not be more dark and dirty and it is located in an abandoned industrial area. I suppose that not even rats would live here.

The scientific police have found nothing: no fingerprints, no skin debris, no more blood ... the stage is clean as a whistle, but at the rear window of the car, we found a number 10 painted.

I feel a shiver run up my spine. I feel a shiver run up my spine . We are definitely facing something darker that a normal kidnapping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, many thanks for reading, and for the follows, favourites and reviews.
> 
> Hope you like this chapter, it is mainly focus on Katniss memories, although we go forward a little on the case. During next chapter a very important character of THG universe will enter the picture... And personally I love chapter 9, so please stay with me in this journey.
> 
> Please, don't be shy and leave your reviews, I really appreciated your feedback and oppinios, and help me to keep going with the posting of this story in English as the translation from the original in Spanish is being a huge work. Thanks to Sara who is helping me with that.
> 
> :-)
> 
> see yoy in next chapter which is called Capitol Enterprises


	8. Capitol Enterprises

With barely enough time to stop by the apartment to shower and change my clothes, I go back back to the office. This time however, I pay more attention to my outfit because I don't want to feel the same embarrassment of last night in the museum. I am convinced that the Press Secretary will pass by our office today, perfect and flawless to the last detail as always and I don't want to receive the same disdain glance that yesterday. So I put on my best black suit jacket with a pencil skirt and sandals with a every morning, we do a quick recap of the situation. Annie and Thresh from the behavior unit, tell us that they still cannot determine the full profile of our unsub, but what they can say is that the person, almost certainly a man, who is behind this, has a great self-confidence, is organized and exert great control.

Effie enters agitated in the meeting room while apologizing."I'm sorry Boggs, but Glimmer is at the entrance demanding to see Director Abernathy, but Haymitch has not come yet," says with a suspicious tone, "so I think it would be better if you receive her. I asked her to wait in the lobby, considering that she cannot enter while there is a meeting about an open case, but... she has not taken my suggestion very well."

I'd have silenced her in a not polite and not legal Johanna's face, I think she is thinking the same thing. When she looks back at me, she winks her eyes and what I thought it's confirmed. Every time I like more Agent Mason. She's smart, quick and sassy.

I feel comfortable in this unit, and I can't complain about the fact that our advisor is Peeta Mellark, though at first I did not know what to think.

Once they return, after dealing with Glimmer, Boggs does not seem in good mood. We divide the tasks, and I turn to see paired again with Madge. We head towards Panem Lim.

It is located in a modern building in Manhattan, it happens to be the headquarters of Capitol Enterprises. As far as Beete could tell us, the different companies that make Capitol up are all in the same building. They belong to Corolianus Snow, a well-known businessman, although his personal life is somewhat mysterious since there are few entries to his name in our Capitol is a very complex company with many subsidiaries and branches.

We walked into the lobby, and after presenting our badge, the receptionist indicates to us that we should take the elevator which is at our right till the tenth floor. Everything in the building is bright and new. Marble floors so polished that look like a mirror. The elevators are made of glass and I'm not comfortable at all with the fact that I'm very aware of the height. I'd rather be ignorant in those cases.

We arrived after a few seconds to the 10th floor, though those seconds are eternal. When we leave the elevator we meet a secretary at the door who indicates that Director Seneca Crane is waiting for us in his office. Immediately upon the entry we found a middle-aged man with a highly polished beard. Everything about him, and his office, is contrived. A soft beige carpet covers the floor, and the walls are papered in a brown tone and adorned with friezes.

Crane points out the chairs that are behind his mahogany desk, and Madge and I sat. Before coming here, Madge and I agreed that I would conduct this interview. So, I begin.

"Mr. Crane, let me introduce myself, I am the agent Everdeen and she is Agent Undersee. As you can imagine, we are here because of yesterday's events with one of his employees and the missing children."

"Yes, yes of course. We are really shocked by this event. How unpleasant it has been! One of our employees is dead and besides this issue about the children."

"We wanted to ask if you might provide the FBI with the driver details: how long he had been working for you, what kind of work he was in charge and if you have any previous references about him. As we have found out, his name was Brutus Heming."

"Agent Everdeen, as soon as we found out what happened, I asked for the employee's file to my assistant, but I'm afraid that he was a temporary employee that we hired from time to time if we had an event or when one of the regular drivers missed work. So we don't have too many details about , here is the data we have: social security number, bank account and address. Apart from that is not likely I can help you very much"

"Thank you very much, you are really nice. But would you mind if we ask your other employees?"

"Of course not, I'll ask Octavia to prepare a list for you of those who worked on the gala for the Mellark Foundation. I don't think they know anything else as I said, he used to work occasionally and he joined us just a few months ago. In addition, we are a large company with pretty employee turnover. "

Something in Crane's voice tells me he is on the defensive. I look at Madge who makes me a barely perceptible gesture and takes the floor to say goodbye.

"Thanks for your time. We expect those reports. As you might understand we will talk with them anyway, so we could really use a work schedule."At that moment his phone rings and Crane answers, he seems surprised by what he is hearing. When he hangs, says petulantly:

"Excuse me agents, but if you still have time President Snow would like to see you. It's such an honor that he has found time to see you. Hopefully you will appreciate his nice gesture. Have a nice day"

We said goodbye to him when Octavia enters to escort us to the top floor, the main floor. This time we go up in a different elevator with no buttons. Octavia explains that is managed from the control center, as it is the private elevator of Snow. When the door opens, we are in an open space: the floors are of marble and columns are iconic type. One wall is an amazing library. Every in this room is also decorated with Greek or Roman amphorae and several vases, which also seem valuable, with white roses style is completely radical to Seneca Crane's pompous office. Classical, in the strictest sense of the word, I would not be surprised If I met the Caryatids from Athens or the Milon Venus or even some busts of emperors Trajan and Hadrian. They would not be out of place in this environment at least.

I'm not a big understood in art, I guess Peeta would be in his natural element. After all he has his own gallery in the we are waiting for the appearance of the President himself, Madge sits on one of the couches to review her emails and I approach the library. Books have always fascinated me. Before the death of my father, reading was one of my favorite hobbies, along with hunting. Thanks to the magic of the books I could penetrate into new and different worlds ... dreaming ultimately. But after his death, I stopped reading because I had no time for myself, as busy as I was trying to survive. My life forced me to stop dreaming and come back to reality and, of course, grow later, at the University and in the academy, I could find peace again in the library when I could not go to the Adirondacks. But I never again felt how a book translated me out of my world. That was another thing that my father's death took from me. I notice that there are mostly classic works. Some of the books seem so old that I don't dare to touch them. I see writings of Plato, Socrates and St. Thomas Aquinas. Several essays on mythology and even, what I understand to be a copy of "The Twelve Labors of Hercules".

"Do you like them" says a cold and polite voice at my back.

"My collection, I mean"When I turn around I find a man in his seventies, with distinguished demeanor: immaculate white hair and immaculate white beard, which lives up to his name. His eyes give me the creeps. They look like blue, but not like Peeta's that remind me of a sea in a warm summer day, but like the blue ice of a glacier or a high mountain lake. Cold is what I feel. He is dressed in a black business suit with blue tie and a white rose, such as the ones in the vases, on the lapel.

"Oh yes! it is a wonderful collection. Precisely I was watching this one" I say as I point the twelve labors of Hercules.

"I see you have a good eye, Agent ..."

"Excuse me. I'm agent Everdeen, Katniss Everdeen. My colleague is agent Undersee."

Madge has joined us when she realizes that the person of our meeting is already with me. Snow shakes our hands. His skin is cold too, and his touch is smooth. Without being noticed, I take my hand away as fast as I can, because something in the proximity of this man makes my hair stands on end.

"As I was saying, you have a very good eye. This book is an incunable of the fifteenth century, Castilian to be exact. But let's sit more relaxed. May I offer you a cup of tea?"

Before we can say anything, a young redhead girl approaches us. She is dressed in white and carries a tray full of mugs, tea and delicious cakes.

"You can put it down here, Lavinia" he says.

Without a word, the waitress places on the table the contents of the tray and bowing leaves the room. Snow begins with an entertaining talk about his company, employees, and offices around the world... suddenly he gets serious and tackles at the heart of the matter.

"Now, please, let me say how deeply upset we are by the news of the death of Brutus . I hope you can get to the bottom of this unfortunate affair. But I am convinced that no one from Capitol Enterprises or Panem Lim has nothing to do with the disappearance of those children. As you can see, we are also victims of all this and we have suffered a terrible loss. It's heartbreaking to find out that one of your employees has been shot in the temple, even if he was a temporary employee. We consider everyone who works here, part of the family. "

"How do you know he was shot in the temple? That information has not been published."

"Agent Everdeen, a man like me, has its resources" after a pause he continues. "I have very influential friends, including the mayor. You may understand that I've been already informed. I hope I have not awaken your misgivings"

Without further explanation, he gets up and escorts us to the elevator. Very kindly he reaches out his hand to say goodbye. Madge has already entered the elevator when President Snow takes my arm and tells me:

"I think we'll make this whole situation a lot simpler by agreeing not to lie to each other. What do you think?"

I think that my tongue has frozen and speech will be impossible, so I surprise myself by answering back in a steady voice, "Yes, I think that would save time."

"What did he say? Now when he was saying goodbye"

"Hmm nothing really, thanks for coming" I tell a lie.

If I have lied to Madge is because I'm not sure about his last words. Without knowing why: more than a farewell it seemed to me a threat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading as always, please feel free to send your reviews or questions.
> 
> I really enjoyed writing this chapter because Snow is such a fascinated character.
> 
> Next chapter is named: The engagement and i can tell you that contains one of my fave moments of the whole story.  
> Thanks to Sara who helps me with the english translation!


	9. The engagement

For a few days, it seems that things slow down, but that's not good for us. We are stuck with the van and have no more clues than the limousine and the driver. We try to focus on a reconstruction of his last hours. As far as we know, Brutus Hemings was a gambler and had a few debts, that is why he accepted any casual work that was offered to him. However, it is clear that this had nothing to do with his debts, everything is too tied to the kidnapping and murder of Rue. And we don't find the two events to be related in any way.

Another issue is trying to find out what are the numbers we found in Rue and in the car of the latest kidnapping. And why, we haven't found anything in Paul's disappearance. So we return to The Seam, but without result. We are facing too many unknowns.

Pressure begins to take its toll and the mood in the team is not very high so Peeta invites us all to an evening his house to celebrate the engagement of Finnick and Annie. After all, today is Sunday.

We agree to meet about 7.30PM in his apartment, so I have about three hours to spare until then, although I will have to spend half of that time on my way to my house and back to the Upper East side. Although I may never get used at all to the subway, I start to enjoy the peace of mind of the 45 minutes that I have for myself: no calls or emails, so in the route from the office I get to read a book. Since our visit to Snow and his library I want to go over some classics. I remembered reading with my father "The Twelve Labors of Hercules", so when I looked into the box of books, which was still at the entrance where we dropped it, I took it without thinking.

When I get home, I have a shower and try to relax as I let my mind become empty. As I have more time than usual, it would be a good time to apply a mango hair mask. Then I file my nails and paint them ivory. I dry my hair more carefully than usual and I choose to wear my favorite jeans, a black V-neck shirt and a pair of blue wedges. When I finish getting ready I realize how nervous I am, and I don't truly understand why I've spent so many time getting ready. I'm not like that! I'm angry at myself for this nonsense, so I refuse to take a last look in the mirror and go quickly towards the subway again.

I still haven't very clear how the lines of the huge New York subway works. Every time I see a map, I need like 5 minutes to place myself in it and know where I am and where I want to go. Even with these difficulties, I manage to arrive with enough time to Peeta's apartment, but before knocking on his door, I wonder whether it would be better manners to wait until the scheduled time. But then I think it might be embarrassing, because I see a security camera focusing on me from the ceiling, so I take a deep breath and knocked on the door, when it opens, I can see Cecelia on the other side.

"Hello Katniss, you're early, actually you're the first one. If you don't mind and as you are already in here, can you welcome those who come in a while? It's getting late and I have to go. The catering is already set in the lounge, the only thing missing are the glasses that you will find in the kitchen. Don't you mind, right?"

"No, of course not. Where is Peeta?"

"He just went up to shower! He won't be long. Well Katniss, thank you very much. I'll see you soon"

Alone in Peeta's apartment makes me feel anxious, after taking the glasses from the kitchen I start to pry around. He has a huge tv and a large collection of movies. No wonder why they all come here together, it's almost bigger than some theaters of our village near the mountains. The lounge is beautiful and cozy. One of the walls is made of glass and you can see Central Park through it. The park shows up lush green under the light of the beginning of summer. Green is my favorite color, not that light but something darker.

I come back to the room. Last time I was in his loft, I didn't notice the design in the dim light, I just noticed the contrast of the plain decoration and the colorful canvases. I approach one of them, of a magical orange like a sunset. The texture gives the painting, life and relief. I let my eyes rest on it and immersed in my thoughts as I am, I jump scared when I hear Peeta's steps and voice.

"Cecelia, is everything ready? Do you need some help?"

Suddenly, I see Peeta barefoot, coming down the aisle, with only a towel hanging on his hips and bare torso while he shakes off the water from his hair with his hands. Nudity has always overwhelmed me, unlike my sister and mother with health vocation. When he sees me, he stops and looks surprised but he doesn't look embarrassed as I feel right now. Anyway I know I have to say something to break the ice but the only great phrase that pops into my mind is:

"Cecelia is gone. She left me in charge of the cups and open the door" I say stuttering. I quickly looked away because I feel uneasy with a half-naked Peeta in the same room.

"Katniss, don't. You are my guest so make yourself comfortable. I'm going to get dressed and I'll see you in 5 minutes. I'll take care of it."

The next five minutes are the longest and most embarrassing of my life. Helplessly, I stand up again from the couch where I have been sitting just a few seconds and I get back to observe the paintings. This time, I watch at a blue canvas with several shades and gradients. Although is not figurative, it reminds me of the feeling I had on my trip to the sea, and I get to relax again. I don't know who the artist is because they are not signed but even if they were, I possibly would not know his or her name. But I think the painter is interesting if those paintings can recall me about long ago memories and feelings.

"Do you like them?" Peeta says while he is approaching where I'm standing.

"Yes, they are amazing, who is the artist?" I say still self-conscious by the memory of his presence before. Peeta is wearing a white shirt and black jeans ... and smells delicious, which does not help to keep under control my confusion.

"Well, I painted them. Thank you very much for the review" He says with a broad, but at the same time, shy smile. There is not even a hint of pride or arrogance in it, and this is why it is so magnetic, like his eyes. "Do you really like them?" he repeats excited.

"Oh yes, I love them. They are ... I don't know how to describe it. But they make me feel something. The orange, actually, reminds me of a sunset in the mountains. It is warm. It's like being at home. And this blue is relaxing, I can almost hear the waves ..."

I had to finish the sentence looking at the ground. I feel embarrassed again, now due to my silly explanation. He must think I'm an idiot, but when I lift my eyes I realize that Peeta looks at me with an unreadable and deep expression that makes me feel a little dizzy. A hypnotic silence is created between us, but it is not uncomfortable at all. As he is about to say something, the doorbell rings and he turns around quickly and goes to open the door. I am confused by what just happened, by this personal moment that I'd describe as... unfinished?

I begin to hear voices and laughters in high spirits coming from the hallway, when I see Finnick and Annie approaching where I am to greet me. I congratulate them again for their engagement, and people from our unit start coming. Everyone is here: Boggs, Thresh, Johanna, Delly, Madge, even Effie and Director Abernathy.

The evening runs placidly amid laughter and anecdotes they tell from the cases they've worked together. The truth is that they've been in the same unit for several years now and I'm proud of being part of this great team. It shows that they care for one another and are as close as a family.

Dinner is delicious, Peeta tells us that it is from an Italian restaurant located in Queens. There are various salads drizzled with olive oil, and different types of pasta. When we finished our host gets up and makes a toast.

"To Annie and Finnick! And to all of us, because we are lucky to contemplate how you both are madly in love with each other, and a love like the love you two share, is not easy to find" We stand up to drink to their health and I can't help but notice two things: first, is the intense gaze of Peeta on me for a short moment and the second is that Annie is really touches. Finnick caresses her cheek with a tender gesture and she stares at him, as if there was nothing else in the world. As we finished, Peeta continues with his speech:

"I hate this part, but I have to announce some rules that Haymitch has forced me to obey if I wanted to prepare this party. So blame him: no alcohol after dinner and no crime films. So neither Seven, Zodiac or The silence of the Lambs is appropriate for tonight, actually we can't watch any film which includes disappearances or murders or kidnappings..."

"Nobody has talked about ghost or horror movies, right?" Johanna says maliciously. Annie is strongly opposed to this idea because she does not like scary movies "Look on the bright side Annie, you can snuggle up to Finnick!"

"She doesn't need a scary movie to snuggle up to me, she can do it whenever she wants... Better if we are naked"

"You are my knight in shining armor" says Annie teasing him.

Finally we all choose to side with Annie. At the end of the day, tonight is her night, so we let her choose between Peeta's collection. I'm not surprised to check that she gets a romantic movie, and a classic: "Breakfast at Tiffany's".

Though we are a bunch of people, we fit perfectly in the armchairs and sofas arranged in his spacious living room. But Peeta lies on the floor, on a black fluffy rug and a cushion. I looked puzzled at him but Johanna realizes and says quietly because the movie is already starting: "Don't worry Katniss, he always does the same. No one would say he has sofas of thousands of dollars here."

With the lights out, I dare to stare at him. Even surrounded by luxury, he still seems the modest boy from school, and I start to recognize gestures that I didn't know that I remembered or that I known ever:the way he runs his fingers through his hair to keep it away from his eyes, his half smile when he is amused by something Or his fixed and rapt gaze when he is really focused.

I force myself to look away, because I am convinced that Johanna watches me, and I don't want give rise to any misunderstanding, but over and over, as if he were a magnet, I find myself glancing back at him. At one point I see that he falls asleep. He seems even younger when he sleeps just like the guy I remember.

When the movie ends, we got up to leave. Peeta accompanies everyone to the door to say goodbye but I'm the last because, though it sounds silly, I got lost looking for the toilet. When he says goodbye to me, they are just Haymitch and Effie in the hall.

"Katniss" he says "Do you remember what you said before about the orange canvas? You said that you felt as if you were watching a sunset in the mountains?" I nod, confirming "Well, that is exactly what I had in mind when I painted it."

Surprised, I look his your eyes and open my mouth to respond but the elevator comes and Haymitch interrupts me before I can say nothing.

"Let's go rookie, it is getting late"

Peeta leans down and kiss me slowly on the cheek. Warmth radiates from the spot where his lips just touch me, slowly spreading through the rest of me, and then I feel butterflies in my stomach.

Startled, I thank him for the dinner and say good night, with a whisper voice. We go down in the elevator and when we are almost to the ground floor Haymitch turns to Effie to ask funny:

"Who sang that song that went something like ... All you need is ...?"

But before he can finish the phrase, I say Goodnight and run to hail a cab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, finally i have managed to post chapter nine. Sorry for the delay but I have participated in PiP challenges with two one-shots, if you want to check them they are named: Sand Castles and Northern lights. In the meantime, I have posted chapter 22 of this same story in Spanish. So it has been a busy month.
> 
> I really love this chapter because of the interaction between Peeta and Katniss that shows a REAL connection, they are Everlark and perfect for each other after all ;-)
> 
> I couldn't help but include a reference to Dirty Dancing in this chapter... Any guess?
> 
> Please, don't be shy and post what you think or what you liked more... so less.
> 
> Thanks to Sara for reviewing this chapter, as always with her backup everything is easier!


	10. Coming back home

Next morning I arrive without any incident and on time to the office, so I allow myself to smile when I walk into the meeting room because I can say, that this is a novelty. My subconscious records it as a small victory over the elements, or rather over New York City.

After the usual briefing, Haymitch comes in like crazy and switches on the TV to watch something on CNN. We see a newsreader that is asking a reporter who is oceanfront. The smile wipes off from my face as soon as I read the bottom of the screen.

"Early this morning, two children were kidnapped, Suffolk County, Long Island. They have been a 14 year old girl in Southampton and a 15 year old boy in the city of Huntington. Although the police made no public statements regarding if these kidnappings are related to the disappearances of two other couples of children in recent weeks in New York City, is one of the theories they are working with".

Haymitch lowers his voice and says:

"The CNN this Morning two children has received an anonymous call warning of two new Kidnappings and asked them to give a message to the police It was just a number: .. Four. You know what this means, it is without any doubt our unsub. We haven't given this information to the press, so we can be sure it's him and he is talking to us".

"Playing with us, I would say" Johanna adds "The number four does not fit with what I thought until now. My presumption was we were facing a countdown".

"I agree with Johanna: he is playing with us, "says Annie" The fact is that he is leaving numbers, or clues. He wants us to go along with him in this game. He thinks he is smarter than us, he believes he have this thing under control so he will bolder in his actions. We'll have to start thinking about the numbers because they're not random. There is another important issue. Thresh and I think that we should start to consider that it may not be a single person but a group".

Haymitch orders Boggs that we leave for Long Island as soon as possible. When I start to get my stuff, he says:

"Katniss, don't. I need Delly, Beete and you to stay here in case something comes up. Besides we must move forward with the background of everyone that was in the museum. At 5pm we will connect by video to catch up. Johanna, do you know if Mellark can join us?"

"I think he mentioned that he had a meeting this afternoon. But I'll call him and check it".

I see how the team is ready in a few minutes. It is a well-oiled machine. I feel some envy as I'm not going to experience how to work outside the city, where everything seems more under control and familiar. In fact, I think wrinkling my nose, I don't like to be stuck in the office as backup, but I understand that someone has to be here and of course I understand it that I'm the chosen. Everyone has more field experience than me and this is not a simple case. We are facing or a real psychopath or serial killer, we still don't know.

I'm not precisely happy when I hear Johanna saying that Peeta cannot go with them to Long Island, but that when he is done at the Hospital he will get back to the office for the video call. After the moment, or rather moments, we spent yesterday; I want to be around the boy with the bread as less as possible. That's what I think consciously... but to my despair I notice as I have to bite my lower lip to keep my mouth from drawing a silly smile on my face.

I sit on my desk to review some criminal reports and try to find possible connections between them and our victims. No, casualties are still not the right term. So far, we have only lost Rue and I will do my best to try to keep it that way.

After several hours reading reports, I notice that I have trouble concentrating. I get up and go to the toilet to cool off my face. Cold water on my skin makes me feel more clear-headed, but not enough yet, so I go to the lobby to get a Coke from the vendor machine. There are only five minutes left to the meeting and Peeta has not arrived yet. When I turn the aisle, I see why Peeta isn't on time. He is embracing Glimmer and he seems to whisper something to her ear.

I stop immediately and after checking that no one has seen me, I go running back to the toilet to hide myself, but to hide from who, from Peeta?

«What am I doing?» I had never felt so stupid and embarrassed in my life, and I really am an expert in that field. Just one minute before I was thinking we had shared something and that kind of moments should be avoided at all costs, and now I've just realized that that moment was only a friendly gesture from him, I find myself confused as hell.

I raise my head and straight my back while looking in the mirror. I say aloud to me: "That is perfect Katniss, you don't have to worry about Peeta anymore"

Once I have repeated this mantra a few times, I smile when I think I've overcome this stupid crisis and go out with renewed confidence.

Upon entering the meeting room I see Delly chatting in high spirits with Peeta, but I have no desire to join the group now. So I acknowledge them with a nod and pretend to look at my phone like I had something important to do. I kill time until our mates can connect from long Island. At that moment I see Beetee approaching us.

"You have to see this," he says, and he moves the iPad closer. First to Delly that looks surprised while reading "We must discuss this with Haymitch and Boggs ASAP".

As if they could hear us, who knows, maybe Director Abernathy has really bugged the office and they are listening to us, the screen turns on and we see Boggs standing and the rest of the team sitting around a big table.

"Hi all, what's the matter Beetee. What do we have to see so urgently?"

"Another kidnapping, Boggs" I turn quickly and look at him open-mouthed as I have not seen yet what they're talking about because Delly is still looking at it, but this is speeding up. This time is a 13 year old girl who was in a summer camp. It was two days ago, but it was not reported as a missing because they believed she got lost while hiking, and as no boy has been kidnapped in the same area or timeframe, the alarm didn't go off.

However I've added today other filters for alerts like a search for numbers. Police found a 12 carved into a tree near where she was last seen. It has happened in Fulton County, Mayfield".

I look at Peeta to discover he is also looking at me, because they are talking about our city.

"Peeta and I... We come from that village" I say completely disconcerted.

On the other side of the screen, everything seems to quiet down. It looks like the video is frozen and it only shows a picture of them. Everyone is motionless.

"We know, Everdeen" Haymitch says "and I'm really sorry. Hopefully you may not know the girl or her family"

I may not know them, though Mayfield has just 5000 inhabitants, but I've never been a people person but I am convinced that Peeta, for sure, knew them by sight. Owning the best bakery in town, makes sure that everyone went there when there was any special occasion. I can see in his eyes that he's scared. This case is becoming increasingly something personal: Rue, Mayfield ...Peeta.

"You two must go over there as soon as possible. The jet of the unit is not available, so ask to Effie to get you flight tickets to arrive today to Albany. I'll talk to you tomorrow and let you know what we have here, but right now, Mayfield is a priority".

Without any further word, he hangs up the call. Delly, realizing that Peeta and I are somewhat affected by the turn of events, gets up and tells us that she will talk to Effie.

I never would have thought to come back home so soon, and less come back with Peeta. At that time my brain makes a rare connection and i remember Gale and his call. I'll have to tell him that I'm coming home. I guess that would be better to send him a whatsapp. Hopefully, he will be in the woods with no connection. Right now I want to try to delay my meeting with Gale and it is not a good time to "talk about us".

Delly shows up in the meeting room and collapses in the chair with a sigh. There is no trace of the affable and smiling Delly.

"Effie will send you by emaili you boarding passes. The flight takes off at 7.30pm so you better go now if you want to catch it, and I would not want to be in your shoes if that happen and Haymitch finds out".

"Katniss, I'll take you home in my car if you want" says Peeta.

I would not allow Peeta to take me home for the world, and when I say "for the world" I mean it. so I apologize and tell him that it would be better if we already meet in the gate and I go to catch a cab.

I come home still agitated, and I pack a suitcase with the basics: pajama, a toilet bag and a pair of change of clothes. Besides, and in case we have to go into the forest, I pack multi-pocket trousers, hiking boots and a Gore-Tex. Even in summer, you can never trust the weather.

Carrying with a book and headphones for my iPod, I'm ready to ignore Peeta Mellark for the 40 minutes that our flight lasts. Although I arrived early, and I see that Peeta has texted me to tell me that he is already in the airport too, I don't head to the boarding gate till the last call, so everyone has already taken their seats.

I see Peeta sitting by the window. I put away my bag in the compartment, but before, I take out my book and iPod. Once I get my "anti-Peeta" kit, I greet him with a brief hello.

"I thought you wouldn't catch the flight, but I'm glad to see you here," he says smiling.

"I was early but I've been walking around the stores."

"I texted you, haven't you seen it?"

"No, I have not seen it" I've always been a bad liar and I'm sure he knows I'm not telling the truth. But I do not care. "Do you mind if I start reading while listening to music?"

Peeta shakes his head but looks at me with a pained expression that makes me regret my behavior a little, but not enough to forget my anger.

The flight is very short and I barely realize we are landing and getting off the plane. As I was sitting in the aisle and didn't want to look in Peeta's direction, I've missed the silhouette of my mountains and my home. Generally, it is one of my favorite's landscapes.

We don't say a single word to each other as we take the car Effie's rented for us. I grab the keys to drive it. Still without a word, we head to Mayfield.

"It's rare to come home ... Together I mean. We never talked when we lived here" Peeta tells me hopeful, looking to start a conversation.

"Not big deal, this is work," I say dryly without even turn around to look at him.

We remain silent during the journey. Sometime Peeta turns on the radio to play some music. When we are only a few miles away from Mayfield I say:

"Where do you want to drop you: in the bakery, at your parents' house...?"

He thinks for a moment and then tells me with a raspy voice. "No, I'd rather stay in one of the motels. I do not get along very well with my mother, and I usually do not like to impose on her without calling before"

Now I turn to look at him, and when I see the sadness and pain in his eyes, I get over my anger, at least I'm not angry with him anymore but with me.

I know what he says about his mother is true. I saw it, years ago when he helped me, his mother hit him in the face.

On other occasions I saw he also had bruises on his face and arms, and although somehow I wondered if his mother was still hitting him, I preferred to think it was due to his wrestling trainings.

Before I can hold back my guilty feelings, I open my mouth and say. "I'm going to stay at my house, we only have one bedroom and a couch in the living room but if you don't mind, you can crash in there".

He looks so thankful, that I immediately smile him back and know I won't take a no for an answer. Thank God it's not necessary because Peeta tells me that he will be happy to sleep on the couch.

When I walk in, I think about how different is my house compared with the Mellark's huge mansion or Peeta's luxurious apartment in New York.

I am convinced that when he sees our living room sofa, he will prefer to sleep at the motel, but as always, this man surprises and shocks me equally.

"Katniss, I love it. Your house is very cozy. Did you know that I always pictured it exactly as it is?" He spins around absorbing every detail.

"Why would you want to imagine my house?" I ask incredulous.

For a moment, he seems speechless and this is not like him at all, because Peeta always has words for everything and everyone, but he recovers soon.

"Well, I mean houses in this part of city with gardens so close to the woods that create the impression that you live in the woods. I didn't mean your house specifically"

His answer makes sense to me because I deduce that wealthy kids were always been curious about this unpopular part of Mayfield. We stop talking and I take out sheets and blankets for him because although it is summer, the temperature will drop at night.

I ask him if he needs anything more and I say good night from the door that leads to the hallway. I'm not one meter closer to Peeta than the strictly needed. I'm not mad at him but I want to keep my distance.

When I climb to the bed in my parents' room I realize that I like the feeling of not being alone in this house. I close my eyes and surrounded by the familiarity of home I fall asleep immediately but soon the nightmares begin. I guess because of the homecoming, the missing girl ... and even Peeta's presence which brings to my mind, how desperate my situation was when a I was barely a teenager: hunger and hopelessness.

I see myself lost in the woods, and although I know they are my woods, I do not recognize them. I also know that something or someone is chasing me and that I have to run away and as soon as possible. At one point, I turn my head and see that they are wolves but not normal wolves but giant versions of them, like mutations.

As they get close to me, I can't find a way out when I hear a voice coming from one of the trees, it is from Rue and she tells me to go up to the tree. I begin to climb as fast as I can but I hurt my hands and knees. The bark of the tree is not natural but sharp as knives and I cut myself with it while I see how the blood falls to the ground. The smell of blood drives them crazy, and I hear the howling of the wolves and watch their attempts to climb the tree, but they cannot.

At that time I can breathe again and I'm approaching the branch where Rue is standing, but only to check, few seconds later that the tree, which is a mechanical, tree, shakes and starts to lower. Rue falls down but I grab her by the hand and avoid her from being trapped by the mutos. Anyway I realize that we will soon be at the mercy of the two animals because the tree keeps going down. I try to pull Rue up but I'm not strong enough and eventually one of the wolves jumps and bites her leg.

I cry of fear. They have Rue and I can do nothing. I see how the girl looks at me with empty eyes and falls.

I see how the wolves pounce on her and I start to climb without looking down because I could not stand it. But despite my efforts I cannot go up faster than the tree goes down. I'm crying in fear and pain, bloody hands…

"Shhhhhh, Katniss. It is just a nightmare, don't cry please" I notice a pair of strong arms around me and I can hear a male voice. For a moment I'm not sure where I am but after examining the space around me, I realize that I am my mother's room, in Mayfield due the kidnappings, and then I realize: is Peeta. "I'm here with you; I promise you will be ok"

Peeta is the one embracing me and whispers soothing words in my ear. His mouth touches my skin near of my ear and it creates a sensation of pleasant tingling.

"I'm sorry Peeta, I didn't intend to bother, didn't want to wake you up" now that I'm calmer I can explain my dream "it was a nightmare: I was in a forest and the girl from the Seam was there too. They took her away and I couldn't save her ..." I let unfinished the sentence because my voice is quivering again.

He holds me stronger and rocks me till I notice I'm more relaxed and my breathing is steady. It is the first time since the death of my father that someone helps me overcome nightmares. Back when he lived, and had little girl's typical nightmares, my father lulled me to sleep and made me feel safe. I have also been embraced in the past, even by Gale, but although I felt comforted it wasn't the same feeling of being carried along by a hug, of feeling safe and calm and in the place where I have to be.

Peeta realizes that I'm better, and stands up to leave. "Stay with me please. Just for a while" I say as I notice that I turn to fall asleep.

I think I hear him saying something but I don't register in my brain, because I've sunk back into a dream. Now, free of nightmares.

The room is bathed in light thanks to the big windows and I open my eyes slowly. As soon as I'm awake I remember of what happened last night, although it might seem like a dream reality shakes me hard. I don't notice anyone beside me so I guess that Peeta eventually had to leave me and came back to the couch.

I feel a little disappointed at the thought that I am alone, but though it is hard to admit his company last night was... I don't know how to define it, but it was...

Before I can find the word of what I felt, I can hear a heavy breathing behind me.

Carefully I turn around and confirm that he is still with me in my bed. He is sleeping on the top of the blanket, barely covered by one of the edges of the quilt. The light is reflected on his white skin and illuminates his face. It is the second time I see him asleep: Serene; Placid; Happy.

I lie still and I keep looking at him for a few minutes. I decide that I love how he sleeps. Everyone should sleep as Peeta Mellark.

He moves his head that falls sideways on the pillow and I watch as a strand of hair falls over his eyes. Without thinking, my hand approaches his face, but before withdrawing his hair I stop myself to consider whether it is good idea or not. But regardless of my will or what I am thinking, my hand acts by it like if it belonged to another person. I take away his lock of hair from his eyes. I stroke his head: once, twice even three times. I think I could keep doing it because I am not the owner of my actions anymore but then he opens his eyelids and discovers me.

He locks his turquoise eyes on me and I hold his gaze. He doesn't smile and does not seem angry either; he is just serious with a solemn gesture in his face. Slowly he raises his hand and takes mine that moves closer to his face while caresses the inside of my wrist without breaking eye contact. Chills run down my spine and I hope he can't notice the effect he has on me.

Just then, the doorbell rings and I jump from the bed. I realized I'm blushing from the root of my hair till my tip toes.

I go quickly to the door, stumbling in the hallway because I'm still half asleep. I adjust my jacket to cover my pajama before I open the door. I assume that it will be the Police Chief to inform us, but no. When I open the door I come across Gale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! This is one of my favorites chapters, specifically the last part of it ... Everlark feelings!
> 
> From this point the story speeds up and Katniss is going to discover things about Peeta and the case...
> 
> Please leave me your reviews, last week was my birthday so it would be a great present :-)
> 
> I apologize from my grammar errors in advance, it has been a difficult chapter to translate and I felt so frustated that I thought to give it up... but finally I made it and here you have chapter 10.
> 
> If anyone wants to help me with the translation from Spanish (as Sara is already helping me once I have it translated from Spanish to ENglish) please let me know. You can send me a PM or review.
> 
> Thanks!


	11. Gale

Chapter 11- Gale

"Hi" I say surprised.

"Catnip" he yells thrilled, pouncing on me to give me a hug. "You, being here is like a dream to me, even if it is just for a case and you're only staying for a few days. I've missed you so much" he emphasizes his last words.

To complete the surreal nature of the situation, Peeta shows up in the kitchen and finds us hugging. Gale tenses up and gets away from me.

"Oh, sorry if I interrupt you. Hi, I'm Peeta Mellark, from the bakery?" he says hesitating. "You are Gale Hawthorne, right?"

"Yes" Gale replies abruptly.

His voice is as cold as his eyes, that right now, look like are made of steel. Peeta extends his arm friendly and Gale returns the gesture, even though I can tell he does it half heartedly. The atmosphere is strained. Here we are, the three of us in my kitchen, in a strange circumstance that I'm not going even to try to analyze. It would be too weird. Peeta excuses himself quickly in order to leave.

"I'm gonna change and go to buy something for breakfast before we go to the police office. Katniss, I'll take the car". He disappears then with a polite «goodbye».

Gale and I stand in silence, while I heat some water and we hear Peeta starts the engine and drives away. Then, I decide to talk to lighten the mood:

"Do you remember Peeta? He was in my grade" I comment with a lingered voice, as it was not really important. But it's clear that it is, and I can't finish the phrase because of the look on Gale's face. "What?" I snap at his muted question.

"Peeta Mellark, Katniss? Really? is he your FBI colleague?" Asks Gale.

"Well yes, he's an advisor in my team. Why are you acting like this? Why does that bother you?"

"Apart from the obvious, you mean?" he says sarcastically.

"Well yes, and you'll need to explain yourself better, Hawthorne" I say very oppressively. I use his last name only when I'm angry with him. "Because I do not know what you are insinuating."

"I am just insinuating" he says in that same voice "that unless you have redecorated the storage room, there is only one bed leading that way." he says pointing towards the hallway from where Peeta came out a few minutes ago.

My house is small, T-shaped, the door leading to the living room, which is the biggest room in our house. There's an old armchair that belonged to my father and a sofa, and as we have no more space, just a tiny TV and a low coffee table. The living room has 2 doors, one goes to the bathroom and the other to the kitchen, which is connected to the hallway that leads to the bedrooms. The first one belonged to Prim and me. We used to sleep in bunk beds and barely had space for a small desk and a wardrobe containing the few clothes we had. The second one was my parent's room and even though it was also as small as ours, it had a back door leading to the backyard. The house was strangely built, so if we wanted to have dinner in the backyard, we had to go all the way through the hallway and my parent's room. But that was one of the reasons why my parents could afford to buy it for a reasonable price.

"The truth is that I do not have to give you any explanation" I say even though I know I owe it to him. I accepted the time he gave me after what had happened between us. I try to imagine the reverse situation. So, I smooth my scowl, soften my temper and voice and I say "It was... I only had a nightmare that woke up Peeta and he came by to calm me. He slept over the blanket, you can see it, if you want to." I take a step toward him and take his hand. "Nothing happened, Gale. I swear."

Actually, nothing did happen, so I'm not lying, just hiding some unimportant details while I promise myself not to repeat that mistake. I, simply, have to be careful and alert from now on.

Gale grabs my arm and hugs me again. I rest my head on his chest and he bends down to kiss my head. I move uncomfortably in his arms. He notices it and lets me go, though unwillingly.

"I am sorry. I shouldn't have doubted of you. It's just that this whole «thing» surprised me and I could never put up with the perfect rich baker's son" he says, not hiding his disdain.

I suddenly feel the need to stand up for Peeta, but as I don't want to ruin our gathering again, I limit myself to saying that I never liked him either, but that he's not bad after all. I manage to say it indifferently, preventing my voice from showing any kind of emotion.

"Ok, let's start again" exclaims Gale. "I am very happy to see you. How long are you staying?"

"I am not sure. Depends on what we'll find out. The rest of our team in Long Island and Manhattan, we have to wait to see what's the next step that Director Abernathy wants us to take. I can't tell you much, but If you've watched the news, you probably will know that we are facing is pretty serious".

"What makes you think that Maysee's disappearing is connected?"

"Gale, I can't tell you anything while the investigation is still in process".

"OK. I have to go to on a patrol to the North side of the mountains for a few days, I hope you'll still be here when I come back. But even if you aren't, remember that we have a pending conversation."

I nod and see him heading to the door. He looks at me intensely and says "I am waiting for you, Katniss."

I feel the pressure of his goodbye in my chest and shoulders. I decide to have a shower.

The water running down my skin and head relaxes me a little. I start breathing normally and I can focus again on my objective: finding the kidnapped kids.

I can't go fooling around with Gale and even less with Peeta, who is a member of my team. But, when I think about him, the way he held my hand this morning... «No, Katniss, focus!» I say to myself «He's just your colleague»

When I get out of the bathroom, already changed in my hiking clothes, I see Peeta smiling at me in the kitchen.

"Breakfast? I got you various stuff: cookies, cheese buns.."

"Cheese buns!" I interrupt him before he finishes his sentence. "I love cheese buns but specifically cheese buns from your bakery. I haven't eaten them in years".

"I know" he says mysteriously, his smile widening. I don't try to think about it as launch myself towards the cheese buns.

"We couldn't afford them usually, they were very expensive and Prim liked cookie more" I say with a full mouth. I realize that I show no manners and I murmur a short "Sorry".

"Don't worry. It's nice to know that you like our products" He winks and almost makes me choke.

"Ok, we should go to the police station now" I say, taking some cheese buns for the car ride.

"If you don't mind, I will drive, so you can finish eating up your breakfast" he says while laughing.

It's clear that it is hard to dislike Peeta Mellark, even Gale would find him pleasant if he didn't have those prejudices for well-to-do people.

Yes, Peeta may be rich, but knowing his mother, he couldn't have had an easy childhood.

The police station is not very far from my house. Actually, nothing is too far in Mayfield. Even though it's average-sized, that doesn't prevent it from being a tiny mountain town.

Going down the familiar roads, surrounded by lots of trees and green vegetation, I enjoy the marvellous view of the mountains, completely unruffled.

I close my eyes for a moment and let the sun beams light up my face. Unfortunately, we arrive very soon. When I open my eyes and look sideways, I can see Peeta staring at me with a hesitant expression. It seems like he is about to tell me something, but in that moment someone knocks on the windows and screams: "Peeeeetaaaa!" There's always something interrupting us in «those moments»: the doorbell, Haymitch, Gale...

On the other hand, I think that maybe, it's better that way, because I don't seem capable of keeping my promise about not lowering my guard with this man. It's possible that, after all, the odds are in my favor.

"Sorry" he says laughing again "It is just a loud-mouthed ex-mate from school.

He gets out of the car and they give each other a friendly hug. While they're greeting, I use that time to leave out the car and call Johanna. She tells me that they aren't in high spirits because, as always, they are stuck again: no witnesses, no traces, not even video tapes in this case. In addition, they haven't found any suspected friends or family: «It's frustrating" she says «it is almost as if they'd vanished". Before we are done talking, she warns me to find something soon before Haymitch gets another of his famous attacks. When I turn around, Peeta and his friend are now in a serious, professional mode.

Thom, that's his name, indicates that Police Chief Cray is waiting for us and invites us to enter.

We follow him inside the building. The place is small, but well-equipped. Finally, we arrive to an open space where the chief's talking on a phone. As soon as he finishes, we are welcomed in. Without much introduction, Cray goes directly to the issue.

"Mostly, I'm surprised you've come all the way back here to look for a little girl who got lost in the woods. We don't usually have FBI investigating here. I'm sorry to say this but I don't think this is related to the other kidnappings, as your Director thinks. Unless there's some information you're hiding from me".

I close the door and answer his question.

"Yes, there is. There is a detail that hasn't been shared with the press, but it is also found in this case. We don't know why there's only one child missing instead of two, but we are almost certain that the subject is the same". I stop for a second to let the information sink in, glancing alternatively between Cray and Thom. "I cannot tell you what it is. But I assure you, we have very concrete intel"

Peeta confirms what I've said, nodding with his head. His face looks preoccupied when he speaks.

"Tom, Cray. Agent Everdeen has told you the truth. We need your help with this assignment. We do not wish to interfere in your area and we hope that you're right and there is no coincidence between cases. But the thing is, that is quite probably that the girl is where the other kidnapped children are. We do not know when or where this is going to end. We're both from this town and we both want this to get to an end and get Maysee back to her parents as soon as possible. We're on the same team".

"Ok, It is alright" says chief Cray. Peeta's words have finally make him see reason. "What do you need? I am lack of men because everyone's patrolling the woods, looking for the girl, but if you need someone to help you..."

"It is not necessary" I reply. "We're both here and I know the woods very well. If you could just point out where she disappeared, and give us the route your man has been patrolling, we could start on our own".

Cray points out one of the maps hanged on the wall and marks a red dot on the place where the girl disappeared. He also shows us the areas they've covered. Almost the whole area except a small cliff, two hours away from the last place where she was seen. Saying a «thank you» we head for the car. Peeta starts driving again and takes a turn-off leading to the Addirondacks.

"Peeta, if you're coming with me in the woods, you should change your clothes. The suit you're wearing and especially the shoes are not quite suitable".

"You're right, Katniss. The problem is that I didn't get anything else. I only have this and my pajama to choose from... And I'm sure that this is more appropriate."

We both laugh as I think that it's summer after all, we won't climb or anything, just walk around a little, so there should be no problem.

We arrive at the spot where we can park our car. It's almost a 30 minutes' walk from the tree engraved with the number 12. It's true that it might be coincidental and that this tree could have always been marked. But the coincidences aren't very probable in this job.

After thoroughly checking the clearing where Maysee disappeared, I decide it's better to go north, towards the cliff. The remaining areas are more easily accessible and more controlled, and I also have a hunch. My instinct has always worked well in the woods.

Peeta is not as fast as I am and he is much louder with his street shoes, so I'm starting to regret bringing him with me. I ask him to speed up his pace, even though we have time to spare, I want to take my time checking that zone.

Once again in the woods, in my woods, I feel free and light. And it is only in these moments that my mind dares to wonder around the thoughts and feelings that I usually lock inside of me.

When my mother died, I felt guilty. Guilty for having denied my love to her all these years. Guilty for not being able to forget my resentment. Guilty for trying to take Prim from her, so she couldn't wound her as she wounded me when she was dealing with my father's death. Guilty for not being with her at the end.

After the funeral, I ran to hide here, in the mountains. But Gale found me near the stone where we used to meet. I hugged him, looking for solace, crying inconsolably. And soon, it happened. We were kissing. Without thinking about anything else, I let myself feel the sensation of being alive, being with someone who loved me and someone that I loved. I kept kissing him until the kisses turn into something more. Gale's skin was so similar to mine that I couldn't tell where his body started or where mine ended. His eyes were looking at me with desire and disbelief. But my need of not feeling empty, alone and unhappy did most of the job. When Gale told me he loved me, I realize I had made a mistake. I put on my clothes one by one, while carefully analyzing his words because I didn't want to lose the only person I was sure to love, apart from Prim. I said that I was sorry, that it wasn't supposed to happen at that moment, that there was a huge mess in my had, that I had never wanted to fall in love or share my life. That I loved him, but I wasn't quite sure in which way.

«Calm down» he said «You do not have to decide right now, we have tons of time».

But I did decide. I decided that my professional career was the most important thing, that I wanted to work in the FBI, that I wanted it to be my passion. I abandoned Gale and went back to Virginia. Even though we didn't talk much at the beginning, we returned to normal eventually.

He was, is, my best friend and I didn't know how to live without him. So, some calls after, a visit here and there, some drinks at home... We started being a couple of friends who enjoyed their mutual company. Until this summer when finally I was happy here again and relaxed with him, not always being stiff and holding my distance. But this summer has lead us, somehow, to the same point we were two years ago. At the point that Gale is asking me for an answer that I cannot answer, because the truth is that I still need time.

Remembering Gale's embrace, I can't stop myself from comparing it to Peeta's and think that they are diametrically different. While Gale's was always possessive and urgent. Peeta's was strong, secure and so confident that it made me feel like I could lose myself in it.

I stop when I'm in front of the cliff and I observe that Peeta's far behind. I notice the sky is dark, it'll probably be a summer storm, but I do not want to lose the opportunity to find out something more, as the patrol teams haven't passed through here. I yell at him to wait for me, not to get up, but I do not know If he heard me because of the wind and the distance. Impatient, I start climbing the rocks, there is a slope that falls to a stream on my left. I've hardly reach 30 meters when I find a girl's jacket, blue, like the one Maysee wore, trapped under a rock.

«This is the way» I think, excited.

Just at that moment, the first clap of thunders resound and small drops of water start falling from the clouds. At first, they are just small drops, but it quickly turn into a torrential rain. I turn to go back down, when I see Peeta climbing up the rock. He has left his coat at the bottom of a tree and his shirt is getting wet.

I yell at him not to move, to wait for me, as he could slip from the stones because of the shoes he wears. But he doesn't listen and continues climbing. He greets me with his hand when he's just a few meters below me and then it happens.

A rock collapses from his weight making Peeta lose his balance and fall on his left side. Desperate, I reach for his arm, but he can't grab me. I'm too far up. He keeps falling until he manages to stop and hold himself to a root from one tree in the bank. Without thinking it through, I ran down towards him. I could easily fall if I'm not careful, but I don't care. I just want to reach his hand and save him from falling in the water.

When I'm closer, I notice his leg is bleeding due to a deep cut. I lurch down the edge of the bank and start sliding, careful not to slip.

"Calm down, Peeta, I'm coming, I'm almost there" I say as calmly as I can. When I finally reach his arm, I breathe in, relieved.

Peeta thanks me and at that moment I realize that the ground beneath me is not firm. It seems to be dissolving from the rain and I start shaking.

"Katniss, you're gonna fall. Let me go". says Peeta.

"No, I'd never leave you" I say firmly.

"We'll win nothing if we both fall. Leave me and find help. We don't have another option"

"That's not my plan, Mellark".

"You are not risking your life for me, Katniss. I couldn't live if something happens to you because of me. Let me go".

I don't know what he's talking about, but I see a determination in his eyes that scares the hell out of me. I can feel his hand slipping from mine.

"No, Peeta, please" I cry out "I cannot hold you like this anymore. Please, don't do this to me. Fight! Take my hand again".

But he doesn't. At that moment, he falls in the water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Hope you like this chapter and you don't hate me too much because of the cliffhanger... But to reward you I'm going to tell you the name of the next chapter which will be post next weekend: THE CAVE
> 
> PLEASE, please, send me your reviews and thoughts they make my day :-)
> 
> Thanks to Moniktr24 who translated this chapter so I have only to review it, she did an amazing job!
> 
> Thanks too to Sara,Titania522 and Brasirish for helping me with some sentences.


	12. The Cave

I see Peeta fall and I'm paralyzed, not knowing what to do. My first impulse is to reach for him but I'm afraid of losing control, perhaps hitting my head and going the other hand, if I don't reach him fast enough, he could drown and disappear carried by water and that option is unacceptable. I could never live with someone's death on my shoulders. Losing a companion on my first case is also unacceptable.

I look down and see Peeta holding onto something, but I cannot know if he is conscious or wounded. So, I try to find the best route and decide to try to slide down the edge of the bank to a place near the shore and the river. I adjust my backpack on my shoulders and start climbing down as careful as I possibly can, holding my glance on Peeta. Because of that, halfway down the slope I start falling. Luckily, I didn't hit any part of my body and just have a few scratches. It takes me 15 minutes to go down, but this time, I start paying attention to the cliff, although I keep looking for Peeta in the water. When I lose sight of him, the water engulfing around him, my heart stops. These must have been the worst minutes of my life, after the day my father died under that avalanche. I love this woods, but they took away from me the one I loved the most and I won't let them steal anyone else. With that determination, I cover the last part of

the descent and take off running in Peeta's direction.

"Hey! I am here!" I shout. He is very pale and can barely lift his head. When I see him like that, a different problem that he could drown or bleed to death hits me . Hypothermia.

In order to make him feel better, or make myself feel better, I continue talking to him in a funny voice "Mellark, hold on, I'll get you out. Do not even think about letting go or I'll have to jump into the water after you. You saw that I had to come down the rocks, so be sure: if you jump, I jump" I say, quoting the movie Titanic and cursing myself at that very same moment. My brain by association of ideas has launched it without control. I hope he's not awake enough to realize, because that particular movie doesn't have a happy ending.

"Katniss, I do not think it would be good to quote Titanic now. He dies from hypothermia" he says and with a huge effort raises his head above water, giving me such an amiable smile that I instantly know that what I said about jumping after him is truth, no matter the consequences.

The water comes from a mountain thaw and must be freezing. I know that in such conditions, it is hard to survive more than an hour, and he's already been there for 20-25 minutes. I try to push away those dark thoughts and concentrate on my objective. At least he is alert now.

I search my pocket for the phone to call the ambulance, but I can't find it. I look for it in the other pockets in my trousers and jacket, but it's gone. It must have fallen when I was descending to find Peeta. And I'm sure his phone is unusable by the water. I'll have to get him out on my own.

I look around for something useful, and I find a branch long enough, twice as long as I am actually, but it's very heavy. I use the knife that I always bring in my backpack along with some other survival items, to cut off the small branches and lighten the trunk so I can move it. Thanks god, the rain has stopped and the task is easier, at least less uncomfortable.

With great difficulties, I manage to drag it into the river. Peeta is just a few meters away, but the water runs really fast and the branch won't get to him. Besides, I have to find a stone to use as a lever to launch the branch towards him. I start explaining my idea.

"Peeta, I will set the branch a couple of meters away from you so you can let the current take you to it, but you'll have to swim towards me. It will be just a few meters, so there shouldn't be a problem". I say, despite not believing that it'd be that easy, with his muscles numb from the cold and the pain from the fall.

I smile to lighten him up. "Did you understand me? What do you think about my brilliant plan? I will inform you as soon as I'm done. When you catch the branch, I will pull you towards me".

Peeta doesn't even respond me. He just gives me the thumbs up, meaning that he understood. I'm scared to see his color fading from his face, his lips as dark as the circles under his eyes. «Katniss, you're too late» I say to myself. But I can't let the fear defeat me. So, I run until I can find a place that suits for my plan. I tell him to let go and swim towards me. I try to draw his attention, seeing him barely move down the left edge of the river.

"Please, please, come to me" I beg him. With a great effort, he manages to catch the branch at the last moment. He looks so exhausted that I'm not sure he'll be able to hold on to it. "Gotcha! I won't let you go. So, try to resist a little longer"

I start pulling the branch with as much force as I can gather. I won't let the boy with the bread go away when I have him by my side again. Finally, I can put down the branch and take his hands. He is freezing. I help him out of the water and take off the Gore-Tex to wrap it around him. To try to warm him a bit.

"No, you'll freeze" he stutters, his teeth shaking from cold.

"Peeta, don't be foolish, you need it more than I do. And you owe me one for what you did up there. What was that, besides?" Now that he is with me, anger overtakes my body. I'm angry because he abandoned me, he let go of my hand. You don't do that in a team and we are a team.

Peeta clings to me in order to walk, his bloody leg dragging beneath him. We can't go very far as he gets weaker and weaker and I feel his life extinguish. We need to find shelter as fast as possible. I try to direct myself towards south, because it's where we can probably find rocks or caves. I see one ahead. It is big enough and the floor is dry. It also looks like it is a refuge as it has some stored firewood, matches and a plastic bag with some other stuff. After all, today the odds are in my favor. This might save his life, I think gratefully.

"Just another effort Peeta, you're doing very well" I say when I manage to lay him down besides one of the stone walls. His eyes are hardly open now. I take his face between my hands, trying to transfer some of the heat and confidence. I expect him to open his eyes and look at me with his calming expression, but he doesn't. He doesn't even have the strength to move his eyelids. I come closer, nearing my face to his and mutter "Stay with me... please".

"Always" he says with a trembling voice.

I guess it is because I've succeeded to snatch away a word that means that he's right here next to me, a wave of warmth goes through my body and I smile. I kiss him in his forehead and then, he opens his eyes. But his amazing azure eyes are as decolorized as he is. Losing no time, I take off his clothes: the shoes, socks, shirt and trousers and I leave him with my T-shirt (which is mostly dry) and cover him with the Gore-Tex.

I intent not to let my eyes wonder to his body because I would die of embarrassment if he noticed. And it is clear that this is no time to concentrate on that details, I know that. I know it's not professional or appropriate. But it's impossible not to perceive his muscular torso, arms and legs. He reminds me of the flawless Greek statues. I've never been good about nudity condition. I felt always uncomfortable and seeing Peeta like this also affects me and makes my stomach dance. So, I do not take off his underwear and think that he would do it himself if he considers it necessary.

The cut on his leg is not very deep, so I cut out a piece of his shirt with my knife and I make some sort of bandage and put it over his wound as best as I can, after disinfecting it with something that I always carry in my backpack. Even though it is possible he needs stitches, I don't think he is going to bleed to death. I also check the bump on his head, it's very swollen and it worries me, but for now, the most important thing is to warm him up.

I take the sleeping bag out of my backpack and help him to get in. When he does, I embrace him and massage his back and arms to restart the blood flow, but he continues shivering. I hurry to start a fire and look into the bag. I find a pot, chocolate and some sort of out-of-date soup. I start preparing it, the best thing for hypothermia is to warm the body from inside out, so soup, expired or not, is the best news for both of us. During the whole time, I talk to Peeta so he won't fall asleep, asking him questions as if he's taking an exam. Because of the hypothermia and the head lump, it is best to be awake, at least it makes me feel calmer. While he's awake, I know that he is still with me. I tell him about the day Prim insisted on buying a goat to make cheese and the way I gave it to her as a present, with a pink ribbon tied around its neck. I also tell him the story about the one-eyed bear, and the day Gale and I were chased by a swarm of bees and we had to jump into the lake to avoid being eaten alive by them . He laughs weakly and stares at me. Maybe that's the reason, I mean the way he looks at me, maybe it is the reason why I am unable to thank him or tell him the story with the bread and what it meant to me. But if i don't bring it up now, I will never be able to thank him.

I'm a coward, I always was when it came to opening up my feelings to someone. It is an old habit that Has been living with me for so many years now that I don't know how to break it.

"Katniss, are you still there? You've become really serious suddenly" he says.

"Hm, I was concentrated on the soup, I think it's ready now." Oh, you're a genius! I think for myself. It sounded false even to me. In order to confirm what I've said, I take the pot and let him see with his doubting eyes.

"Katniss, do you know that you're a really bad liar to be an agent at the FBI? Never gamble at cards. You'll lose your last coin" He puts his hand on his head, eyes closed.

"Are you OK?" I say, worried.

"I have been better" He responds, resigning."There's no need to lie, I know what you've been thinking. You've been wondering what you did wrong to deserve to be trapped in a cave with someone as foolish as I am. And in addition, you have to get me out of here"

'Oh Peeta!' I think. 'You're not even close. If you've really known that I am what I am thanks to you.. That you were the one who not only gave me the bread, but also the idea of how to improve our precarious state, that seeing you every day gave me hope to try something better, because you represented the goodness of this world. That even though we hunted on Saturdays, I delayed trading the goods until Sunday because that was the day you were in charge of the bakery, not your brothers. I dared to greet you even if it was only a nod with my head, so that I could see your smile. I may be a bad liar, but it seems that I've managed to hide how important you've always been to me'. But I can't say it out loud.

I get close to feed him, but he says he's not hungry and turns away, trying to prevent a retch. It's obvious that he is very sick. He tilts his head backwards, eyes closed, lips firmly clutched.

"Come on, Peeta. You have to eat and get warm. Do it for me" And to take some intimacy away frommy request I add "I do not cook that bad, you know?" So, I start feeding him soup, hoping it will make him react, even though I notice he has difficulties opening his mouth and swallowing. "Do you remember if you lost consciousness when you got that blow on your head?"

"I think I did" He sits up. "I remember getting hit and after I was in the cold water". I make a worried frown as I know I should give him anticoagulant, but that would worsen the blood flow in his leg and I don't know what to do. Peeta continues "I am sorry, Katniss. I'm sorry for being a nuisance. And thank you for taking care of me and saving my life."

"Wait, you're thanking me for saving your life? I am here thanks to you" I explode. Finally it's said, although harsher then I intended. It looks like I'm angry with him, while I'm actually thankful.

"What are you talking about?"

"About the bread, Peeta. But I don't expect you to remember."

"The bread? What bread? The one when we were kids?" I nod and he says "I think we

can let that go. I mean, you just brought me back from dead."

"But you didn't know me" I say "We never talked. I wouldn't have been here to save you if you haven't helped me before. I always wondered- Why you did it"

"Why?" he asked, surprised. "I think you know why"

I shake my head. Peeta seems to doubt if he should continue talking or not, so I put another spoon of soup in his mouth, as I'm scared where this conversation will take us. But at the next spoonful, he raises his hand to take the spoon away from mine and continues:

"It was the first day of school. We were five. You wore a red plaid dress and your hair... it was in two braids instead of one." he stops, taking the end of my braid and caressing it. I know that if I don't want him to go that way, I should stop him now, but his precious eyes are locked on mine and as it always happens when he looks at me, I am unable to act on my own. So, I stay quiet, alert... "My father pointed you out when we were waiting to line up,"

"Your father? Why?" I ask.

"He said, 'See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner" Peeta says.

"What? You're making that up!" I exclaim.

"No, true story," Peeta says smiling as she sees me troubled "And I said, 'Why did she want someone else if she could've had you?' And he said, 'Because when he sings... even the birds stop to listen.' So that day, in music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air. She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent. And right when your song ended, I knew — just like your mother — I was a goner. Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you. Without success. So, in a way, being here with you, in this cave, is a real piece of luck."

I am quiet for a while, not knowing what to say, even though I notice an absurd happiness overtaking me. What I'm feeling is not okay. Peeta is wounded and might die at any moment and I'm still happy to be here with him. What's happening to me? What's wrong with me?

Embarrassed, I decide to change the subject.

"You need an aspirin" I say, standing up to take some from my backpack. I'm a little slow because my hand's are shaking from emotion or maybe from the cold in this damn place. When I finally found it, I go back to Peeta to give him the pill. But when I try to help him drink some water, he gets hold of my hand.

"Well, say something, Katniss."

"I'm not good at saying something." My voice is trebling, my body quivering from his touch and closeness.

He gently presses me to him and I let myself lean in until I'm just a few centimetres from his face. "Then I'll fill in the blanks myself" he murmurs. A moment after I feel his lips on mine. They're surprisingly warm for a person who has spent an hour in freezing water. But very soon, I stop thinking and let myself engulf in the sensation. I feel one of his hands caressing my hear all the way to the base of my neck, nearing my head. I feel his tongue on my lips and open my mouth. When his tongue touches mine, a moan escapes me and I press myself against him, one of my hands resting on his shoulder. Soon enough, he takes it with his other one. I continue kissing him passionately until I'm breathless and I push away from him. But even that little distance makes my heart hurt in an unexplainable way. Peeta leans my head against his chest and I feel complete again.

I wrap my hands around his waist and stay rounded-up like that, trying to touch his body as much as I can. I don't know how much time has passed when I feel something wet on my hair. I lift my gaze and see tears falling down his cheeks.

"Peeta, what's wrong? Are you OK? Please don't scare me"

"My head hurts a lot"

I get up immediately.

"I am going to look for help. I can't just stay here watching you... watching you..." But my voice abandons me and I can't finish my thoughts. It's not the right time to cry or get emotional or I would lose him. And at that moment, the truth hits me with all its fortitude. If I lose him, I wouldn't just lose a companion or a friend. I would lose a part of me. "I am going to go to the car and notify the patrollers".

"Katniss, It's dark and it's raining. I won't let you go."

"You won't let me?" I shout angrily. "I would like to know how you intend to do it, because If you haven't figured out the gravity of your situation, you can't walk, you're half-frozen and you have a pretty bad concussion which would even allow you to get up. I am going to look for help right now and nothing you say or do would change that."

I end up shouting and crying. I don't know what's happening to me, but I'm unable to control it. I turn away from him, take my backpack to get out in the darkness of the night, lighted only by the flashes of lightening, when all the strength leaves me and I drop to the ground on my knees, sobbing. I feel his hands on my shoulders, his breaths on my neck.

"Shhh, calm down, everything is gonna be ok." he assures me. "Nothing will happen. Nothing will happen to me while you're by my side, not now. We'll make a deal, OK?"

"A deal?" I say and turn to face him. He's terribly pale because of the effort and I can see the pain in his eyes. "What kind of deal? Don't you see that I can't allow that anything happens to you?"

"You can leave when it dawn breaks. You'd be faster and I'll be sure that nothing will happen to the great huntress and I'll be calmer. That way, we both win. Besides, my telephone is in my suit under the rocks. That terrain is slippery and in this darkness you wouldn't have choice. So, you won't waste time looking for help going to the the car, which is more far. You see, there is a better solutions" He smiles, finishing the sentence. "Now, let's take some rest."

I help him to get up and take him to the sleeping bag. But he opens it and stretches out in the space. He gives me a motion to lie down next to him and he covers us, embracing me. It's the second night that I'm laying beside him and I'm starting to get used to it as I feel peaceful and fearless, like nothing bad could happen, ironic as it may sound considering our situation. I fight not to fall asleep, but my eyelids close. Before I surrender myself to the dreams, I remember his smile and the way it affects me. I realize that I would do anything he asks me just to be able to see him smile that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! And thanks for following this story. Please leave your reviews.
> 
> as always thanks to Sara and Moniktr24 for helping with the translation.
> 
> next chapter:The Rescue... I will post a Six sentence Sunday tomorrow in tumbl (follow me as otrascosasseries )


	13. The rescue

I wake up startled by a thunder. I've fallen asleep. I have no idea what time it is, but the dawn is almost visible. I feel Peeta's hands wrapped around me, his tepidness and warmth. His breathing is weak. I slowly turn to him and run my finger from his neck down to his jaw, enjoying every second of the caress and the contact with his skin. I whisper his name in a low voice a couple of times, but I panic when he doesn't wake up. Has his injury worsen? Has he lost consciousness? I lean in and shake him.

"Peeta, wake up! Can you hear me?" I notice that my voice is a little brisk due to the hysterics I start to feel, my mouth drying up. At that moment, he opens his eyes, but his gaze is lost, unable to focus on me. He is confused and doesn't seem to know where he is. "Peeta, I am here. I am right beside you." I grasp his hand, holding tightly so he could concentrate on it.

"Kat... Katniss?" «Oh» I breathe, relieved. "Where are we, what happened?"

My soul goes down to my feet then. He's forgotten what happened? About our kiss? I reproach myself, because that doesn't matter right now. The only important thing is to get him out of this.

"You had an accident while we were looking for the lost girl, you fell from a mountain slope down in the river. I came down and got you out."

"Oh, yeah. I remember, you got me here and I was very cold."

"Yes, I started a fire and cooked you soup and..." I fall silent when I'm about to add 'and you kissed me, it was the best kiss in my life'. But I don't dare to say it, because if he doesn't remember, I don't want to add more confusion to this situation.

"And?" he asks.

"And your head hurt because of the concussion. Finally, you fell asleep." I finish the sentence, but not without feeling a little disappointed.

"Oh, right! I though that..."

"What did you think?" I reclaim urgently.

"I thought you've kissed me." He winks me an eye which makes my mouth spread in a wide smile.

"Well, technically, you kissed me." I stress the word 'kissed'. If he wants to play this game, I can play it too. "I think you're much better now, so I'll go and find help. And I'll think if I send them to rescue you." I say offended, getting away from him, but he catches my arm and pulls me over him forcefully. "What do you want now, Mellark? I need to go."

"I'm coming with you"

"No, you can't! You're weak, you've lost way too much blood from that leg and even though my sister is the doctor in the family, I know that head blows need to be taken seriously and that you have to stay immobilized at least 24 to 48 hours. You're staying here."

It seems that my speech hasn't made any effect, because he tries to get up. But when he stands on his injured leg and falls instantly. He loses all the color again, including the one from his lips. I lean down as fast as I can to check if he's alright.

"I am sorry, you're right, I can't go with you, my leg cannot hold me and my head is about to explode." he says sadly. "But I'll give you the password for my phone. It's 0508"

"Don't move, OK?" I look at him amused because he's blushing and I don't know why. Without losing time, I put everything he could need closer to him: water, aspirin, some wood so he could throw to the bonfire without standing up. "I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Katniss! No... no goodbye kiss? In case..."

I don't know how to answer, but it sounded as a farewell and my heart breaks in pieces when I realize he doesn't believe we'll make it out of this one. So, despite wanting to kiss him again so badly, I don't want him to think that I'm giving up too. That's why I am completely resolved to say no when he smiles again, even though it's not his usual bright smile but just a pale reflection of his tiredness. He closes his eyes. I start hesitating. That smile from the boy with the bread might be my ruin If I don't manage to take control over myself. I lean over him and whisper in his ear: "If you're awake when I come back, Mellark, you'll have your kiss."

Making what seems like an inhuman enforcement, I separate myself from him and give him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

As soon as I am out of the cave, I start getting wet. It has started to rain lightly again. It is easy for me to get oriented, I only need to get to the river on my right and then I'll go upstream. Going at a quick pace, I soon arrive to the place where Peeta was. The easy part ends here. Now, I need to find a suitable place from where I can climb up the cliff. I stop to take in my surroundings and decide to go into the woods to see if there's a less sloping path going north, because I immediately rule out going back the way I came down.

After a while, I see some kind of path through the dense vegetation. It's rather steep, but I think I'll make it. I turn back towards the cave as if I could feel him closer that way, as if I could feel that kiss. I can see that picture again, his blue eyes, his pale skin, his smile... But this is just a foolishness. When have I become so sentimental? Shaking my head firmly, I start climbing the path. It's more complicated then it seemed from the mountain's lap, but I've already lost too much time to go back. My pace isn't that fast and I advance little by little. I feel a burden in my arms and legs because of yesterday's rescuing, and now that I think about it, I haven't eaten anything. I gave the soup to Peeta, but with his confession and everything else that happened, I've totally forgotten to eat. I realize I'm smiling like a fool again. How is it possible? It was only a kiss after all. At that moment, I trip from a root and fall, hitting my head near the eyebrow and it starts bleeding. It serves me right for being distracted and not looking where I'm going. Warm blood flows done my face, so I stop for a moment to catch a breath, take a gauze from the backpack and stick it with a a bandage, using the time to eat some chocolate. I don't have a clock, so I have no idea how much time I've been walking and I can't tell by the sun's position, but I guess I've left the cave about 2 hours ago... Will he be fine?

I stand up and keep going, and even though the cut on my head still hurts, I can feel the energy of the sugar and the chocolate and continue climbing this damned mountain. But time goes by and I still can't see the end. I start thinking that I might be lost and a sensation of urgency and desperation overtakes me, just as the night I was looking for my father. Anyway, thanks to my Quantico training, I'm able to go through this panic attack quickly and concentrate with all of my senses. I close my eyes and repeat: "My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am 27 years old. I'm a FBI agent. I'm here for a kidnapping case. My companion Peeta Mellark is in a cave and needs my help... Needs my help.'' I open my eyes and slowly turn around, 360 degrees, trying to absorb not just with my eyes, but using all my senses to figure out where I am. It may seem strange, but in the woods you cannot only navigate with your sight but use your other senses like smell and hearing instead. They can tell me where the river and the wet herbs are, which path the animals follow, so with my 'hunting mode on' I discover that I've gone more west than I was supposed to. Without a doubt, I change my way and continue climbing with determination.

In almost 40 minutes, I manage to get to a plain and see the cliff where this disaster started. I direct myself, running towards the tree and find Peeta's suit, wet.

"Please, please. Let the phone work and with enough battery" When I find his phone, I see tons of missed calls and messages, but I get myself to unlock it first. The code was 0507 and I type in 0-5-0... Before pressing the 8-botton, I realize it is the date of my birthday. Peeta's password is my birth date? I put a hand over my mouth and hear myself release a surprised squeak. Soaking wet, injured, preoccupied and exhausted as I am, I notice a salty flavor in my mouth. I move my hand from my lips to my eyes to only discover that I'm crying, unable to express my current emotions in another way. I rapidly call the ambulance and tell them my exact position. They tell me to wait where I am, so they can send in a helicopter to get us. About 20 minutes later, I see a red-and-white helicopter from which a bunch of people from the rescue center are coming down. After explaining the situation, the medic checks out my injury, puts some stitches and a clean gauze. It infuriates me that they're wasting time on me while Peeta might need them, but there are inflexible with their protocol. Eventually, they prepare a rope so we could descend down the cliff.

I'm the second to get down and where the rest of the team arrives, I guide them to the cave, first walking and then running, not wanting to delay the moment when I can see with my own eyes that he's still OK. Before reaching the cave, I start calling his name to let him know we're coming, but there's no answer. Even though it doesn't surprises me, I can feel my heart shrinking.

When I am by his side, I am still alone, because I've left the rest of the team behind. They'll catch up soon. I see him curled up the same way he was this morning, his eyes closed, face pale as a ghost. I lean my head on his chest and feel no respiration. I yell his name, but he doesn't react and when I touch his face, it is cold.

The medic and the rescue team separate him from me. I see them quickly giving him a CPR and connect him to an oxygen mask.

"We have to increase his breathing frequency or he won't make it to the hospital" they say.

During a couple of minutes, they put various kinds of serums and medication and open his breathing route. I've been left paralyzed clinging to the wall, seeming to be seeing it all from a distance, through some kind of mist, as if it weren't happening to me, to him. As if it was all a dream, or a nightmare to be more precise. When they put him on the stretcher, it looks like they've managed to stabilize him and we start climbing the opposite way we've come, because they wouldn't be able to lift him with the stretcher. Because of that, they've arranged a different meeting place with the helicopter team, a clearing in the woods where they could elevate him the doctor and a nurse with the stretcher and a pulley, but they cannot take the rest of us.

When we arrive at the clearing, everything is being prepared for the rescue. Before I can figure it out, they are lifting him and shocked as I am, I realize I haven't said goodbye. Although no one wants to worry me and tell me the truth about the gravity of his situation, I can tell by their serious expressions that they don't think he's going to make it. One of the guards takes me by my shoulders and we start walking until we reach a stall. A car will take me to the hospital where Peeta is.

"Don't worry, Agent. When they arrive with the helicopter, they'll inform us through the radio."

I nod, almost feeble, because I feel as if I were anesthetized by pain and tiredness. But from that moment, every time I hear a noise similar to the radio, I jump from my seat. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I hear:

"Addirondack rescue team, we're notifying you from the hospital. The patient is stable. I repeat, he is stable now."

The whole car bursts into cheers and applauses, with the exception of me. I can't smile or let myself to raise hope until I can see he is alright with my own eyes. Besides, they've only say that he is stabilized, which doesn't mean he's out of danger. My sister is a doctor, so I know that what they said only means that he didn't die...yet.

After arriving at the hospital, they walk with me to his doctor, Dr. Sean Cinna, and to Peeta, who's in the intensive care unit. I can see him through the glass, connected to all kinds of monitors and machines.

"Doctor Mellark is suffering from injuries and a mild hypothermia that doesn't worry us right now and may be was a stroke of luck because it helped to slow his vital functions. In addition, the wound on his leg needed some stitches. He has a strong concussion and is out of conscience at the moment. This is what's worrying us, so we need to monitor him during the next 24 hours, those are vital. We hope that he'll wake up when the hematoma starts lowering. Other than that, it is too early to know how he will progress."

"Can.. Can I go with him?"

"Agent Everdeen, In these cases when we have a patient in the ICU, it isn't really advisable."

"Please, Doctor Cinna. I know it may sound foolish, but while I was by his side, those hours in the cave, I managed to keep him awake and I cannot stop myself from thinking that if I'm not with him, he won't open his eyes again." I explain while adding in my head 'those precious eyes of his.'

"It's OK, Agent Everdeen" he says with a small smile. "It's out of the rule, but I think I can make an exception in this case."

I feel as the most thankful person in the world, so I give a hug accompanied by a 'thank you' to the surprised doctor, and quickly enter the control room for the ICU to get a white coat I need to wear inside. I sit in a chair next to him, take his hand and rest my head over our entwined fingers. I start singing the Valley song in a low voice. Not being aware of the time passing by, I hear the door push open and see two people coming in. It's Finnick and Johanna.

"Oh, Katniss! How are you?" asks Johanna with a worried look.

"Hi... I am... I am OK, it's Peeta that we need to worry about. They don't know if he's going to wake up." I say, my voice trembling, trying to stop the tears from rolling down my face.

"Don't worry. Peeta is strong, he'll make it through this. And he has a great reason to live" she says, looking at our interlaced hands and smiling softly. At this moment, I don't care what my companions might think. I just need to keep holding on to him, as if it's what is keeping him alive.

"Katniss" Finnick says, interrupting my thoughts "we need to go where you said you've found Maysee's jacket. It's important to determine something else about this. We don't have many clues and we have to grab anything we find."

"No, I can't go. I won't leave Peeta, but I can explain to you where it is."

"Of course, Katniss. That's why Johanna and I are here. You just stay with him and make sure he wakes up soon"

Finnick's smile is warmth. When they leave the room, he says goodbye to Peeta with a "Wake up soon, buddy" and Johanna bends down and plants a kiss on his forehead, whispering something to his ear.

Soon after, I fall asleep with the beeping of the monitor, signaling that Peeta's heart is still beating Minutes or hours later, I feel a soft caress on my hear and lift my head up slowly, expecting to see Doctor Cinna, Johanna, Finnick or even Gale. But I hear someone saying with barely a trickle of voice.

"Hello sweetheart."

It's Peeta's voice, less hoarse than usual, but still as warm as ever. I keep steady for a second to make sure I'm not asleep and it's not a dream. But when I turn and find his gaze, I lock it in mine.

"Hi" I respond with a timid smile "How are you?"

"I've been better, my head hurts." He is quiet for a second and then, doing a small gesture with his hand, tells me to come closer. " I am definitely awake now, so it's alright to kiss me whenever you feel like it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! here is chapter 13, hope you like it , please let me know your thoughts and leave a review, there are some important for me.
> 
> Thanks to Sara and Moniktr For helping out in the translation!


	14. A Lullaby

CHAPTER 14-A Lullaby

"I am definitely awake now, so it's alright to kiss me whenever you feel like it."

When I hear him say that and see his mischievous smile, I'm not quite sure whether to laugh or cry. Either way, it would be an act of happiness. The relief I feel after the last hours fill with tension is truly comforting. I even allow myself to tease him back.

"I don't know. The deal was that you were going to be awake when I came back in the cave... So you didn't really earn it. I am pretty sure that quite a few hours have passed by."  
"Ok, and what do I need to do to win another one?"

I am taken aback by the level of trust between us. I can even say that I love it because of the tickling sensation on my skin. But to be honest, I don't know what to respond. I don't know if I should continue playing this game or stop it while I can. What do I really want? I wonder.  
All the things that happened in this last few hours may be confusing, but not at all unpleasant. And there can't be anything wrong with my feelings. Still, I don't dare saying what I think and I step back.

"Hmmm, I'll think about it, Mellark."  
"A little compassion, Katniss. I've just come back from the dead." he says, grimacing and pursing his lips.

His face is so funny that I burst out laughing and he follows, though a nurse gets in at that same moment and scuffles us. Well, actually she scuffles me, as it is not a very appropriate thing to do after a strong head blow and being unconscious more than 24 hours. "I will go find Doctor Cinna" she says with an offended voice. As soon as she leaves, I turn to Peeta to apologize.

"I am sorry, she is right, I should have been more careful" Instead of adding what I would truly like to say, I simply smile and keep my thoughts to myself, the thoughts of being so infinitely happy that he was ok and letting myself get carried away.

Peeta looks at me, clearly amused. I see something in his eyes that I am not able to puzzle out when he adds: "It would have been better if you had kissed me, she wouldn't tussle you for that." He sticks out his tongue jestingly, finishing the sentence.

"Oh! You're impossible!" I exclaim, surprised as we start laughing again.

"Ok, ok. I'll stop fooling around, my head hurts." He says, closing his eyes.

Concerned, I lean in closer to him to see if he needs something. I put my hand on his shoulder and squeeze it reassuringly, so he knows I'm there. The door opens again as Johanna and Finnick enter carefully, obviously not knowing the good news.

"You're awake!" They say in unison.

An emotional Johanna darts for the bed to give him a hug. Finnick also gets there and tumbles over Johanna, hugging both of them as if they are some little kids playing, throwing themselves over one another. I take a step back, feeling like an intruder. 'They know each other for years' I think enviously.

"Finnick! Get up, you're smothering me!" growls Peeta.

"Of course, but Johanna can keep hugging you, right?" he replies teasingly.  
"Sure. She always can do whatever she wants to. Besides, I've known her longer and she is much hotter than you."

Johanna looks at him lovingly, gives him a kiss in the cheek and takes his hand between hers. My stomach twists at the sight and I feel uncomfortable. I consider leaving the room with some excuse, but there's no need because doctor Cinna enters and sends all us out so he can run some tests.

We head towards the cafeteria to get a coffee. I can hardly walk, I'm sore from the last few days, both physically and mentally. Maybe this exhaustion is the reason why I'm wearing my feelings on my sleeve. With just one gulp of coffee, the hot liquid runs down my veins and muscles, bringing me out of my bewilderment.

"Well, how is Maysee's search going?" I ask.  
"We have something, but it's not much. We've found the jacket in the rocks you'd pointed out. It was marked with her initials, we've confirmed that fact with her parents, they said the jacket was definitely hers. We've sent it to the laboratory to see if they can find something more, but after that rain, I doubt it." replies Johanna.

"This reinforces the kidnapping hypothesis, and in that case, it may be our subject. It's not very probable for a quiet girl, as her parents, supervisors and professors describe her, to be venture to climb over there on her own. It's more likely that she had been taken there." explains Finnick  
"What is still unclear to us is what they did or took her after that. A girl of her age doesn't have much stamina."

"Helicopter?" I ask "It's how they rescued me and Peeta."

"Yes, it's one of our theories. There are many airports nearby that the distance could be covered by a helicopter. Beete is searching for the ones which give renting services first, so we can pay them a visit. It will take us a few days. So we can also wait for Peeta and return together" responds Johanna.

After finishing our coffee, we go back to Peeta's room, but Doctor Cinna is waiting for us at the door.  
"How is he?" I ask.  
"Good, for now. It doesn't seem like he has some permanent damage, but I'd like to keep him here for a few days, for the inflammation to reduce. The wound on his leg is not infected, but it will take some time to heal. Anyway, what I mean to say is that I wouldn't release him for at least a couple of days."

"Ok, no problem, we've got work to do, so we'll stay here for a few days. Thank you, doctor." I say, heading to the room.

"Another thing: I recommend him to stay alone this night. I made an exception because of the special circumstances, but he has strong headaches and it's best for him to get some sleep instead of having someone to make him laugh" he says, feigning an harsh voice. I blush, feeling like a schoolgirl caught causing harm instead of helping. My colleagues launch interrogating looks all over me.

"It's not possible for me to stay tonight?" says Johanna.  
"No, no one. Doctor Mellark should rest now, but I'll let you say goodbye. I'll see you tomorrow to inform you about his state, is it clear?"

"Yes, doctor. Thank you." After he leaves, I turn to them and say "Can I borrow one of your phones? I need to call my sister, she must be concerned." Finnick hands me his and I mumble a 'Thank you' while they enter the room. I dial Prim's number, but she doesn't answer, so I leave a message. "Prim, It's Katniss. I don't know if you've been calling me, but I lost my phone. It's a long long story, I'll tell you when I come back quietly. I'm in Mayfield, at home, so you can reach me there. I send you a kiss."

When I enter, they are already saying goodbye to Peeta. I can tell that he's tired and the medications kicks in. Seeing him so unprotected and vulnerable makes me want to embrace him. It's not the first time I feel like that, It's been happening since the day with the bread. It's like an innate need to protect him, as he did with me.

"Well, It looks like it's time for you to rest tonight, Peeta" says Johanna "but we'll come to check on you tomorrow. In the afternoon probably. We need to make some visits first."  
"How's the case going?" he asks.  
"They told us not to talk about work.... or laugh" Johanna says, winking. "I guess we'll see you tomorrow."

She lowers down and puts a kiss on his cheek, while Finnick grabs his hand and gives him a hug. I get nervous when my turn comes. I'm not good at this situations, at least it's not natural. So, I decide to do something less embarrassing as taking his arm and saying good night, but Peeta presses me to him. 'Well, he is still strong, after all.' He gives me a slow-motion kiss and whispers in my ear: "Good night." Goosebumps run all over my body. It's not what he said, but the way I think he said it. Not daring to look him in the eyes, I turn to leave with my companions when Finnick's phone rings. He looks at the screen and puts on a desperate face, answering the phone.

"Hey" he responds laconically. He covers the speaker and turns to Peeta. "Glimmer, she is worried, she wants to talk to you. You want to talk to her or can I tell her you need to rest?"  
"No, it's ok. I'll talk to her." He says and I feel a kick in my gut. Finnick gives him the phone and asks if he wants us to wait outside, but he responds with a slight shake with his head. "Hi Glimmer" he pauses "I am alright, don't worry, it wasn't that serious." He is silent again and then continues "Don't cry, I am really OK, I told you. Thank god that Katniss was with me, she saved my life."

I don't dare look at him at all, so I have no idea if he was watching me when he was talking about me, but I prefer it that way. Finally, they finish the conversation and we leave. Finnick and Johanna are going to stay in the motel, but they drop me off at home first. When I enter the house, everything crashes down on me: the tiredness, the loneliness. I get a quick shower. The only thing I want right now is get in bed and sleep a thousand years, but as soon as I lay down and close my eyes, I realize I am not going to be able to sleep. I go out to the back yard and set up a rocking chair. Even though it's still summer, I get a fine blanket and wrap myself in it.  
"Stars" I think, you can't see the stars this way in any city but Mayfield. With my family, I used to get out in the garden in the warm summer nights. My father would get his guitar and sing while my mother, Prim and I would swaddle in this same blanket and look at the stars, pretending to see them falling. Without realizing, I've quietly started to sing a lullaby which both of us used to sing to Prim when she had nightmares.

I miss them. A lot. I miss my family. I miss my best friend. I miss feeling that someone cares about me and being a part of something greater than myself. And also, I there's no need to fool myself anymore, I miss Peeta Mellark.

Dismissing my sleeping plans, I get dressed and decide it's best to take a walk, see if I can relax and shake off this feeling of loss and nostalgia that eats me alive. Nostalgia for times so far behind, it almost feels like they never happened to me. Absorbed in my thoughts, I continue trudging through Mayfield until I am back in the hospital again, not sure how I got here. I know it is too late and they won't let me see Peeta but I am here and I want to at least try. I climb up to the floor where the intensive case rooms are. Thank god, it's not the same nurse that gave me that murderous look just that afternoon or I wouldn't be able to do anything. I need to think of a plan for her to let me enter. I see the girl is young and she's reading a love novel, biting her lip, her eyes watery. She reminds me of my romantic sister. So I finally decide to make my move. After all, I have studied something about characters and behavior... and about manipulation too, I think.

"Good evening" I say with the sweetest voice I can muster. "Agent Everdeen."  
"Oh, good evening agent. Do you need anything?"  
"Hmm, I know it's late, but I need to see my colleague, you know, Doctor Mellark."  
"I'm sorry. It's not possible. He is asleep and we've been ordered not to let him be bothered with work. Family visits are allowed only, and that is not the case here."  
"Well, can I trust you with something?" It's now or never Katniss, let's go. I liven up, bend down and say quietly "He is my fiancé, but as you know, that's not allowed between colleagues, so nobody knows. You really couldn't let me in at least for a few hours?"  
"I honestly don't know" she says hesitantly, but her voice indicates that she's about to give in, so I continue to push her  
"Please.. It would mean the world to me."  
"Alright, but just for a couple of hours. Either way, he had a strong sedative and he's asleep.  
"Thank you very much, nurse! I just can't sleep without him."

I finally enter Peeta's room and he is deeply asleep, his breathing calm and even. Just seeing him sleep relaxes me. Instead of sitting in the chair where I slept the night before, I go straight to his bed and carefully lay down beside him, one of his hands embracing me. At least the last part of what I said to the nurse is true, I think. This is going to be a big problem because I'll have to stop sleeping with my boy with the bread sooner or later. But at least it's not going to be tonight.  
And with that thought I fall asleep, mumbling the cradle song to scare away any nightmare that threatens to overtake me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like this chapter it has a very sweet moment... Next chapter is all about the case and contains a big Everlark twist!
> 
> please review and comment it, you make my day with your thoughts!


	15. After the storm

I feel someone shaking my shoulder, whispering my name, but I'm too tired to wake up.

"Agent Everdeen, it's time, wake up please." she says urgently "The next nursery shift will start at any moment and if they find you here, I'm screwed."

I finally open my eyes and see the young, candid nurse from last night, her face filled with fear of me being found in a patient's room, where I really shouldn't be, after all, he's not my relative, at least not a close one.

Let me explain, my only immediate family is Prim, but it's true that Gale's family: Hazelle, Rory, Posy and Vick are kind of my family too. But Peeta... Peeta is only my work colleague on paper, old acquaintance from school and Mayfield and the only person that manages to keep my nightmares away, I think and sigh. The problem is that it doesn't make him my relative or justifies my slight disregard of the rules.

So, reluctantly but determinedly because I don't want the nurse to suffer the consequences, I get up from the bed to leave. I am about to go when I remember that if he really were my fiancé I would kiss him, so I turn around and kiss him on the forehead, hoping my act will not go unnoticed by the nurse. But at the same moment when I press my lips to his skin, I can feel his warmth and smell his cinnamon aroma, I caress his face and kiss him on the lips. I haven't kissed him since the cave and even though this kiss probably doesn't count as he's asleep, it is enough for me.

I can still feel the warmth from the contact of his lips against mine when I leave the room and head back home.

When I arrive, even before I can open the door, I hear the phone ringing. I start looking for the keys in the chaos of a bag I have, but unfortunately when I open the door, it stops. As we don't have an answering machine or caller ID and the phone is an old one, I don't know who called, but they'll probably call again if it is important.

I enter the room and lay down for 5 minutes as I have at least an hour before Finnick and Johanna come to pick me up. I close my eyes for a second to get some rest, but I quickly fall asleep and wake up startled by the telephone sound.

"Hello." I answer, my voice sleepy.

"Katniss, thank god!" I hear a singing voice on the other side of the line which can't be non other than Prim's "You said you were at home and I've been calling you all night. I even tried the phone from where you called me, but it was always the answering machine. Are you OK? What happened? Where have you been?"

I explain her what happened rapidly, without going into the embarrassing details: the kidnapping, our theory about its connection to the New York cases, searching for clues in the woods, the accident, Peeta's rescue, my colleague's arrival yesterday...

"Peeta's okay then?" I hear her alarmed.

"Oh yes, Prim! Don't worry. I was with him in the hospital until he woke up from the convulsion and Doctor Cinna told us he was fine but he needed to keep under surveillance for a few more hours in the ICU. Besides, when I left him this morning, he was in deep sleep and..." I fall silent, realizing that I've given way more information then I was supposed to. I know my sister noticed it too because she's quiet. I try to pretend by saying "OK, you already know they make exceptions to let us stay with him. Being a FBI agent has its privileges.

"Why do you try to hide it? If Johanna and Finnick have just arrived yesterday and you've slept with him this night, I assume you were the only one to stay with him."

"Well, yes. But that's not important. I mean, they weren't there before and they were really tired last night and I wasn't, so I decided to stay." I say but my sister won't believe it for a second.

"As you say, Katniss, nothing important" She replies, laughing. "You simply can't stand to be in a hospital for more than a few hours without turning green and now it seems that you've been keeping Doctor Mellark company for almost 3 days."

"He's a colleague Prim, I'd do it for anyone. And I also felt responsible for his accident."

"Aha, of course! It's that. Ok, I guess I won't get anything else out of you and I see that you are alright and excellently accompanied, so I leave you. I've gotta go to work."

"Ok, little duck. I send you a kiss."

"Bye Katniss... Take care sister, and take care of him too."

Not giving me a chance to answer, she hangs up the phone. I look at the clock. I have barely time to throw some water in the shower, dress casually as I don't have much to choose from. We should have been back to New York by now. When Finnick and Johanna arrive, I'm already waiting on the door.

"Katniss, how are you?" Finnick greets me.

"You don't look so well." Johanna comments.

"Oh. I know. I didn't sleep much last night" I confess as I have only slept about 2 hours after my nightly excursion to the hospital. To change the conversation, I say "Have you had breakfast? Because I'm starving."

"I am afraid not, but we grabbed coffee from Starbucks and we'll pick up something along the way. We have quite a lot kilometers to go. Beetee gave us five airports to check out. We'll possibly have to stay the night, so take some clothes" Finnick finishes off.

I enter the house and quickly prepare a backpack with my pajama, some underwear, a shirt and bathroom basics. I also pack my iPod, hoping for it to help me get some sleep tonight and isolate me in my thoughts along the way in the car. I've got a lot of thinking to do. When I get out, they're already settled in the car, leaving me the passenger seat.

"We've been thinking that, since you're from here, you could go ahead and guide us." Finnick says, a smile on his face.

"Well, actually, he didn't think of that" Johanna disagrees "because I am sure that with the GPS we'll be able to get to all of the destinations. It's just an excuse he's using because he thinks I'm a horrible copilot. Don't fool me, Odair."

"OK" he says impatiently "The thing is, Johanna, that you really are. You are the worst guide in the world! You spend the whole drive giving me orders: stop now Finnick, turn on the left Finnick, you can go now Finnick..."

Johanna rolls her eyes and screams exasperatedly in the back seat. "OK, fist stop: Johnstown".

We turn towards Western Mayfield as they tell me the selected route: Salisbury, Utica, Albany, Saratoga Springs and finally, Queensbury.

The trip to Salisbury is short, almost an hour, but it's beatiful as we go through the southern block of the Adirondak and a part of the 24000 square kilometers that define it as a National Park. Even though they are not really high, there are wild and majestic.

As we start going up a small mountain pass we have to drive through in order to get to Salisbury, I hear some kind of moan of pleasure coming from Finnick, who's eating something. Surprised, I turn to him.

"A sugar cube?" he offers.

"For the coffee?" I say confused. I finished my coffee almost as soon as I got in the car.

"No. I'm asking you if you want a sugar cube to eat. I love them."

"Hmmm, no thanks." I hear Johanna laugh in the back seat.

Without any more incidents worth mentioning, we arrive in Salisbury at the tiny airport they have, but besides from some tourist taking a train to the mountains, there's nothing else registered on that date. The same happens in Utica. So, we go to Albany to see if we get some stroke of luck. It takes us much longer to go through the registers at this airport, as Albany is the biggest of the surrounding cities. But there is no important information about the dates Beetee sent us either. Maybe the employee who's currently attending us will give us some new perspective. He's a tall, blond man. He's called Scott, but everyone uses his surname: Marvel.

"You're looking only for rented helicopters from last week, right?"

"Exactly" I confirm.

"Well, this airport is a landing place for helicopters that go to and from the city of New York. When they stop here, we keep a register of them. But as those dates are private, you'll need to get a warrant."

"Perfect, we'll talk to our superiors and they'll send it in, so you can give us the information you have."

We decide to go to Saratonga Springs to eat dinner and sleep there. We choose a burger joint in the city's outskirts. We're ordering when Finnick's phone rings. He excuses himself and gets out to talk to Annie.

"I think we should call Peeta to see how he's doing." says Johanna casually, taking her phone.

I move awkwardly in my seat, because it's been running through my mind all day, but as I'd lost my phone and haven't replaced it yet, I couldn't do it. It worries me that Peeta may think I've forgotten about him the whole day and also that he's seen me sleep beside him... I'm not going to deny it.

"Hey blondie, how are you?" She says happily, pausing for a moment and then continuing, a scowl forming on her face "Oh, come on! Peeta, I am really sorry. She's a witch, you already know what I think about her, but don't worry" she pauses again, letting Peeta finish whatever he was saying that made me and Johanna worry about him.

"Yeah, we're all fine. We'll be back tomorrow and tell you all about it. Do you want to talk to someone?"

My heart stops at that moment and I don't know if it is because of the possibility he'd like to talk to me or not. I found that out soon enough when Johanna says "No, of course not, don't worry. Good night."

My disappointment is clearly obvious because when she notices, my colleague excuses him, saying he's tired and his head hurts. But I know there's something more. It seems like Peeta was concerned about something that Johanna correlated to a witch, or as my father used to say: "White and in a bottle has to be milk" And I'm sure that, in this case the milk is called Glimmer. And my stomach turns upside down at that thought.

When they bring us the food, Finnick comes back, a wide grin on his face.

"Why are you so cheerful?" Johanna asks.

"It's just things love does, of course..."

He says it with a smiling face and I think that I don't really know what love is, but it certainly isn't the rollercoaster I feel when I'm with Peeta Mellark. At least I think it's not. Or maybe, I just hope it's not. My live strategy has worked well until now and I don't want to change it. I'm not planning to worry about any man more than necessary. Even if that man has the bluest eyes in the world and the most irresistible smile. Finnick gets me out of my daydream abruptly.

"Katniss, do you hear me?"

"No, sorry Finnick, I was distracted." I respond, clasping my hands together in a 'sorry sign'.

"I was saying that I forgot to tell you that your sister had been calling on my phone and left a message because she couldn't reach you home."

"Yes, I finally talked to her this morning. I guess I was asleep when she called, I was very tired" I lie.

"Haven't you said you've slept only for a few hours?"

"Well yeah, I mean no... Seems that I've slept longer than I thought"

The truth is that my attempt to get out of this mess was terrible and I notice the way Johanna looks at me and smiles mischievously. But it seems like God has finally started to answer my prayers when she doesn't continue the interrogation. We finish dinner and go to our rooms in one of the motels. The rooms are plain, but clean and peaceful.

Surprisingly, I manage to fall asleep, but not so surprisingly, I wake up in the middle of the night, hastened by a horrible nightmare. I try to get it off my mind, listening to some music, striving to calm my breathing. I'd prefer going to run a little, but I don't have the proper shoes or shorts... So I hold on, attempting not to close my eyes for the rest of the night, because every time I see Peeta's face, blue and lifeless, it reminds me of my father buried under the snow.

Eventually, dawn brakes and it's time to carry on with our mission. At the Saratoga airport, we manage to find the name of a pilot who rented a helicopter on the same date Maysee dissapeared . Even though it doesn't seem like it's going to be of any help, now that they've told us there were just two couples of friends, we sent the name and security number to Beetee to see if there's something that could help us.

We don't have any luck in Queensbury either. Without any flattering result, we return to Mayfield as Effie informed us that we have the unit's private jet waiting to take us back to New York. She also tells me I have a new phone delivered in the city's shopping center. It's the only thing that makes my day lighten exponentially, although picking Peeta up and seeing him again helps too.

When we arrive, we see Peeta in a wheelchair and doctor Cinna besides him.

"Take it slowly, boy" I hear him say "After 10 or 12 days, the stitches should be removed from the leg. I strongly recommend someone to be putting healing herbs to the wound, so it would heal faster."

With a firm handshake, the doctor says goodbye to Peeta and the rest of us. Peeta sits in the back seat with Johanna and is unusually quiet during the trip to the airport. I even see him frown occasionally. It's not like him to make this kind of gestures and I've only seen him this worried for a few times in my life. The day of the fighting championship with his brother, the day at the museum...

However, as we started to get away from Mayfield, on our return flight, he started to get interested in what we've found, done and seen so far. He relaxes and smiles more often. Soon enough, the gentle man we all know returns.

Around 7p.m. we finally arrive again in New York City. I am happy to be here again. My experience in Mayfield was horrific and I hope that when I get back to my apartment, I will be able to get some rest. But luck isn't on my side and when I check on my phone, I see a message from my janitor.

"Damn it! It's not possible!" I exclaim when the message finishes.

"What happened?" The three of them ask, frightened.

"My flat is flooded! They needed to fix the bathroom pipes, but they exploded. My landlord said he'll cover the hotel expanses. Are there any near the office?" I say distressed as my idea of getting a good sleep in my peaceful bed crashes down on me.

"Stay at my place" Peeta offers rapidly.

"It's really nice of you, but I don't want to bother. Anyway, I have insurance, so it's not necessary" I reply, even though a little voice coming from inside of who knows what part of my brain tells me to say the contrary. But Peeta insists.

"Please, stay at my house. I have tons of empty rooms... really. Besides, I stayed at your house in Mayfield."

He smiles at me, finishing the sentence and it always happens when he gives me that special smile of his, I am unable to deny him anything and accept his offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, sorry for the delay in posting this chapter but some personal issues get in the middle my mom took a back surgery but she is alright now, though we are still at the hospital ;-)
> 
> anyway, I hope you like it and that you like the end of the chapter, I can tell you next chapter is one of the favorites chapters of the readers of the Spanish version.
> 
> please, please leave a review and your thoughts it is SO important for me.
> 
> although this is a transition chapter which helps the story to move forward, it really has an important clue for the case :-)
> 
> thans for reading, and thank you to my AMAZING translators: Monika and Sara!


	16. Twilight time

Finnick accompanies us to the apartments, carrying Peeta's bags as he uses a crutch to walk, while Johanna is trying to get a cab.

During the short walk to the car, I start thinking that it was a mistake to accept Peeta's offer, that I should think of some excuse and leave. I could go to Prim's flat, which she shares with four other girls that are crazy and are somewhat troublemakers, but I don't feel like it. Even though I wouldn't actually mind, and it sounds like a good excuse because 'Who wouldn't believe that going to your sister's apartment wasn't an option', it still wouldn't work and I would never do it as my sister would start interrogating me about everything that happened in Mayfield. And I still don't find that idea much better than staying with Peeta. Besides, she would know I was running from something, or rather someone, and she would kick me out of the house. Literally.

Unfortunately, everything else I've come up with sounds banal... and untruthful. It's not that 'Oh Peeta, I am sorry, I can't go with you, I've just remembered I have an aunt in town and she'd be so happy to see me' is not a good enough excuse, it's not even reasonable. On a scale from one to ten, it wouldn't get a zero.

While this interior debate takes place inside of me, I decide it's best to act like the mature person I am actually old enough to do so.

We reach the car and Finnick says goodbye, not forgetting to tease me.

"Don't get used to the millionaire's apartment or you'll be devastated when you have to go back to that tiny home of yours." he says, winking at me as he turns quickly towards his car, waving his hand goodbye and not giving me a chance to deliver a proper report.

Peeta gives me the car keys in order for me to drive because he can't do it with his leg hurt, so he just looks at me mischievously, his eyes sparkling.

"I wouldn't mind, you know?"

"You wouldn't mind what?" I ask thoughtlessly. But as soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize it was about Finnick's comment. I turn scarlet and cover my mouth.

My surprised face and gesture turn out to be so funny that Peeta laughs his head off, tears glistening in his eyes, as he hugs himself from the laughter. At first, I feel humiliated or offended or hurt, but his laugh is so genuine and contagious that I can't stop myself from laughing with him.

We enter into the jungle of New York's traffic and head to my house first. In this city, darwinian law of survival of the fittest is infuriatingly in vogue. Luckily, Peeta's car is quite big, so It's harder for the other vehicles to intimidate me. Much harder but not impossible.

"Katniss, breathe" he tells me sweetly.

"I am breathing" I reply, evidently infuriated.

"OK, you're right, I'm gonna reformulate the sentence. Katniss, breathe slowly. Slowly" he says, emphasizing the word slowly and leaving his words hang in the air.

"Is it that obvious that I can't stand driving through these many cars?"

"Well, if it weren't for your scowl, the way your hands are white from pressing too much the wheel and the muttering under your breadth... no, it's not." he says simply.

"Am I detecting a sign of mockery in your voice?" I say, suddenly defensive.

"Not at all, I'm just trying to help you."

But his voice, as much as he tries to keep it serious, has a slight tone of amusement and it's patently clear that he's teasing me. Instead of angering me, it makes me smile again.

I'm not usually the type of person that likes being teased, probably because of my constant seriousness. It's only with Gale and Prim that I have those moments when I'm loose enough to relax and have a good time. But the last few days have proven that Peeta is also very capable of making me lower my guard.

I turn to answer him with something flippant and I find his eyes staring at me so intently, that I forget what I am about to tell him. I turn my attention back to the road, but I feel an unknown warmth in my chest which I really hope doesn't spread to my cheeks because that would be very embarrassing.

We finally turn onto my street and for the first time since I moved in, there's an empty spot right in front of my house.

"Wanna come up?" I ask, more because of manners than anything else.

"Yes, I would love to see where you live."

I get out of the car and go to the sidewalk, but I see Peeta's having difficulties leaving the car.

"Need help?"

"No. Don't worry, I just have to mechanize the movements... You know," he says, suddenly pausing "the car being that high doesn't exactly help. Being invalid is something you don't consider when you buy a car like this."

When he finally manages to get out, the entrance hall stairs loom ahead of us. He succeeds in going up without my help, using his crutches instead. Thank goodness I have an elevator, I think.

Luckily, the apartment is quite tidy, except for the box of books I have in the hallway. The rest of it is satisfactory though.

"Have a seat, I'll go see how the bathroom is and pack some stuff. I hope it won't take more than a few days to straighten it up." But at that moment, I enter the bathroom and exclaim "Oh!"

"Is something wrong, Katniss?" He asks and I hear his heavy footsteps coming in my direction.

"It seems that I have no ceiling!"

When Peeta arrives next to me, observing the emptiness where my roof used to be, I see that the whole bathroom is a disaster! Black dust and pieces of plaster are all over the place.

"I don't want to upset you, but my advice would be to take more clothes than you planned to, It looks like it'll take more than 2 days" And he's right, of course. He must have noticed my worry over the whole situation because he adds quickly "It could be worse, Katniss, and I have no problem with guests, really. You are welcomed to stay as long as you need to."

I thank him, and while he heads to the living room, I start preparing my bag with all the things I might need. I would like to be more like Prim, who is very skilled at organizing bags and able to pack everything needed for the day, thoroughly and perfectly, maybe even sorted by color. But I'm not like that at all, I basically take stuff without thinking and end up looking like a clown because my pants don't match the shirt, jacket and shoes... And don't even get me started with accessories.

Having packed everything, I go to the living room where I'm left open-mouthed by the sight of Peeta carrying the box of books on his own and placing it next to the desk. Even though it falls over the chair when he puts it down and hits his leg.

He's a very strong man, I think, remembering how Gale and the man from the moving agency had to carry it together on my first day here. Unable to stop myself, I watch his muscles ripple under his shirt, a clear result of the effort. I feel that warmth in my chest again, so strange and pleasing at the same time.

If I didn't have this slight impression that it has something to do with him, I would have thought I had early menopause, with all this uncontrolled sultriness.

The drive to his house is calm due to the lighter traffic, but I'm still nervous. Although we still haven't talked about it, the kiss that we shared seems to start floating around us. I notice the atmosphere charged with electricity, and with every passing moment I am more aware of the his closeness. My brain starts to analyze the situation and I tell myself again and again, that this was a bad idea. I can't stop thinking that:

I'll spend a couple of days with Peeta in his house.

I'll spend a couple of days with the man in whose arms I've slept embraced for more than a few nights.

I'll spend a couple of days with the man I've saved from dying, drowning in that river, the same one I've kissed in the cave.

So when we arrive at his penthouse, I enter almost panicked. I put on a serious face and force a smile, which turns out to be more of a grimace. But Peeta either doesn't notice or pretends not to notice so as not to make it any harder on me. He starts showing me the apartment, explaining where everything is and saying to make myself at home. However, when he tells me about the time Johanna was staying at his house for a week and they barely saw each other, I know he's noticed my uneasiness and is just trying to calm me.

I'm eternally grateful for his consideration, for having the gift of knowing how to make people to be cheerful and comfortable around him.

I feel a real smile appearing in place of fake grimace I've had fixed on my face just a moment ago.

"Your room is upstairs, I'll show it to you now so you can leave your things." I turn to the stairs, but he shakes his head and says "If you don't mind, I'll take the elevator. My leg is tired." he excuses.

Great Katniss, I think, He is so considerate and you can't even look beyond the end of your nose and see what other people need.

With that thought circling in my head, I arrive to the room which will be my own in the next few weeks. It's a large room, but extremely simple. White furniture and wide windows. The bed is huge, bigger than my own with a green bolster painted to look like tree leaves. I put my bag on a beautiful chair and Peeta shows me my private bathroom, also white with a green crystal mosaic.

"I hope you like it" he says nervously.

"Of course." I assure him. I realize he might have thought the opposite and interpreted my silence the wrong way, so I try to make him see that I love it. "Really, the room is perfect. Green is my favorite color, it reminds me of the woods."

Peeta smiles and looks at me intriguingly, as if he wanted to share a secret. But he finally decides it's better not to, and passes by me to exit the room.

"Make yourself comfortable, I'll meet you in the kitchen to make something for dinner. You like pizza?"

"Yeah, sure. I love it."

"Perfect, pizza for dinner then. Don't hurry, take a bath or whatever you'd like. I'll refresh myself too. My room is at the end of the hallway, in case you need anything."

With that said, he closes the door and I can hear his unmistakable footsteps going away. I stay where I am and try to take in my surroundings. It takes me longer than usual to organize my stuff as the wardrobe has many drawers and shelves, so I can't decide where to put each thing. When I am done, the wardrobe still looks empty. I guess it would look empty even if I had brought all my clothes. Finally finished, I enter the bathroom and see it's completely equipped: bathrobes, towels, gels, creams, shampoos... It's like one of those luxurious hotels.

I go towards the shower and see a lot of buttons. When I open it, I am completely amazed. It's wonderful, it seems that the water is falling like raindrops from a enormous square shower head fixed on the ceiling. I press random buttons and see most of them regulate the intensity of water, except the one which turns off the main light, but turns on some slow-changing lights with all the colors of the rainbow. If I didn't know Peeta was waiting for me, I could stay here all night.

Nevertheless, I am still not ready to get out because thinking about Peeta made me remember the day we ate dinner in his house; half-naked and wet, covered just by a towel. I close my eyes and concentrate on the sensation of water running down all parts of my body. My head, my face, my arms, my chest, my stomach, my muscles, my legs... I wonder if he's also taking a shower and thinking about me now. And that makes a wave of pleasure overtake my whole body, even though it's concentrated in one very specific part of my anatomy.

Just like the nudity, I have never tolerated my own sexuality. Those topics make me uncomfortable. When I lost my virginity, with a companion from class in the university, it was just to get rid of that matter and stop worrying about it. It wasn't exactly an unpleasant experience, but it wasn't that special either, certainly nothing similar to what my friends described it to be. Not the first, nor the next few times I've repeated it with that same boy. With Gale it wasn't that special either, possibly due to the fact that the circumstances that got us to do it were painful and the act itself was frenetic and urgent.

Before starting to wonder what it would be like to make love to Peeta Mellark, I get out of the shower and try to abandon these thoughts, or else I wouldn't be able to look at him in the eyes without blushing as long as I live under his roof.

I put on some short blue pants, a white T-shirt and sandals and go down to the kitchen. Peeta is already there.

"Home-made pizza?" I ask in incredulity, faced with my incompetence at preparing anything but cereals and salad. "Wouldn't it be better to order something?"

"I'm a baker's son, Katniss. Believe me, it's a piece of cake." He says, expanding some flour on the kitchen bench to continue kneading.

"OK, as long as I don't have to do anything..."

"Are you sure you don't want to try making the dough? I can teach you."

"I don't know, I'm not so good in the kitchen." I reply, doubting.

"Don't be ridiculous! It's very easy and I'm a great teacher." he says, winking an eye and gesturing me to come next to him.

My legs decide to walk on their own toward my host, ignoring my head's shouting orders, warning about the humiliation when he finds out about my clumsiness. And something inside me doesn't want Peeta to discover the things I'm not good at.

When I am by his side, he divides the mixture in two and hands me a piece.

"First" he says "you need to expand some flour on the workbench, so it won't stick. Then, take the dough and start working on it firmly, with both hands, mixing it at a constant rhythm. That is up and down. Watch me."

It seems simple when Peeta does it, but the dough beneath my hands doesn't respond the same way his does and doesn't seem to acquire the smooth texture. Noticing my difficulties, he comes closer, hip to hip, stopping to tell me what I'm doing wrong. He takes my hands and repeats the movements until I am able to do it on my own.

"That's it, that's how you need to do it." he comments, proud of my improvements.

I don't reply as I am barely able to concentrate on swallowing because of the contact with his body and arms. Obviously, Peeta doesn't notice and continues with his dough.

In a little while he is done and easily makes a regular form first with his hands, and soon he starts launching it through the air assuredly. At that moment, I'm left open-mouthed and decide I've had enough.

"Oh, stop showing off, Mellark!" I exclaim infuriately.

"What? What happened?"

"You know damn well what happened."

"Katniss, I told you, I'm a baker's son. And, although it may seem a little pretentious, I assure you these will be the best pizzas you've had in your life."

"Of course it sounds pretentious!" and to annoy him, I add "As much as you like showing off, I am sure they will not be as good as the ones I've had in an Italian restaurant near the quarters in Quantico. I would bet anything you want."

At that moment, I see Peeta smile from ear to ear and I realize I've fallen in some kind of a trap, but I'm not quite sure what it is.

"Aha!" he says amusingly. "This is getting interesting, agent Everdeen. Did you say anything?"

"Yes." I say doubtfully as my pride doesn't let me back down.

"Very well, in that case..." and he stays silent. After making a pause, a moment which seems to be the longest in my life, he says "In that case, I think we have a pending kiss."

There it is! I think indignant and angry with myself for having fallen in his net. While Peeta finishes putting homemade tomate sauce, cheese and oregano, I see the opened flour bag on the table. When Peeta turns to put the pizzas into the oven, I take it away quickly and hide it behind my back. While he closes the oven, I go back behind him and call in a sing-song voice.

"Peeta..."

He turns, astonished by my tone and looks at me questioningly, coming closer to me. Before he's able to react, I surprise him by taking the bag and throwing a handful of flour at his face.

"That was a low blow, you cheater!" he says, trying to sound angry.

I start laughing when I see him launching himself on me. As I have good reflexes, I manage to escape and he can't come after me with his leg hurt, so I stay safely behind the opposite side of the workbench.

"You should know that the one who laughs last, laughs best." I say arrogantly, convinced of my victory.

But Peeta puts on a 'I have an ace up my sleeve' face and takes me by surprise, grabbing the the tomato sauce.

"No, no... you wouldn't dare. You wouldn't dare. Peeta!" I scream, tomato sauce falling all over my face. "You asked for it. This is war!"

I run towards him and although he tries to escape, he can't and I throw the rest of the flour on his blonde head. When I'm done, I clean the tomato sauce from my face and smudge it on his shirt. He grabs my hands, somewhat hugging me so I can't move and when I try to escape, he loses balance with his hurt leg and we fall on the floor, laughing. The tiles seem to be covered in snow due to the flour's whiteness.

I soon stop laughing when his hand caresses my face.

"You're full of tomato sauce and flour" he says sweetly.

I bend down towards him, but before anything happens, the oven bell rings, ruining the magic.

"Yeah, I've lost... But well, you aren't your best self either." I say angrily, not sure if it's because of my moment of weakness or the bell ringing. I stand up and offer him a helping arm. "It'd be better to have dinner in the kitchen, so we don't ruin the living room as well."

Peeta takes the pizzas out of the oven and I wash myself a little in the kitchen's sink. Then, I take the plates and tidy up the table where we'll eat, and he washes off.

When I take a bite of Peeta's pizza margarita, I can't stop a moan of pleasure from escaping my mouth.

"Peeta, It's delicious" I say with authentic passion, but I realize what's at stake and turn my words around. "Very good, yes. But it's not the best I've had."

Peeta smiles and mutters something under his breath that I can't quite catch. I ask him to repeat it, but he shakes his head and changes the subject while we finish dinner. I start gathering the plates and commenting how tiring the day was, when he interrupts me.

"Don't bother, really, tomorrow Cecelia and the assistant will come and clean up everything. You wanna see a movie or prefer to go to bed now?"

"If you don't mind, I'd like to retreat to my room... I'm dead. And we have work tomorrow."

"That is probably a great idea. I'm tired to and the leg troubles me."

We go to the first floor in silence again. Peeta and I go down the hallway to my room together, as if it were teenagers again. Like it might have been in Mayfield if we had gone out together. When we arrive at the door, he leans over the frame, not to prevent me from passing, but more to catch my attention.

"So the pizza was good, but not the best you've had. Is that your final word?"

In the relatively dark hallway, illuminated only by pale lamps and window lights, I consider if it would be that bad to give him that kiss he has been asking for. Just thinking about it, I feel butterflies in my stomach. But it would all be too complicated. It's not like in the cave, when everything seemed to be coming to an end, this is serious and conscious. And we work together... and this is what stops me at the last second.

Peeta sees the decision on my face and his eyes reflect something between disappointment and sadness. As if it were a spring inside of me, my body responds automatically with a jolt, subconsciously trying to protect him from anything harmful, which ironically, is me.

So, I bend down, near to his ear. Cheek on cheek. His breaths on my neck. The hair sticking out my braid tangles up with his eyelashes.

"It's not the best, true, but it is close. And with time and practice..." I whisper and give him a kiss near the ear, on the spot where it unites with his strong jaw. "Good night, I've had a great night."

I enter the room and close the door carefully behind my back, leaning against it, not wanting to separate from him so soon. I try to recall tonight's feelings: the way we touched, the way we flirted and the good time we've spent together.

I am an authentic contradiction, I want to get away from him as much as I want to be around him. I am drowning in a sea of confusion where Peeta Mellark is concerned. And I'm not used to letting feelings guide me instead of common sense. Until now, it's been 27 years and I've managed to control myself pretty well.

With much effort, I separate myself from the door and go to the window, looking out thoughtfully.

It's night in New York. During these last few weeks I've spent here, I've learned to appreciate the twilight blossoming over the city. The building's lights form an undecipherable puzzle of colors and forms outlining the sky like mountains.

The only thing I haven't learned to appreciate is the intolerable noise, but here, in Peeta's penthouse, it doesn't matter because none of the traffic noise or emergency sirens or the crowd's ceaseless murmur can reach it. Here, you can enjoy only the best from New York, its views. And him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all thanks to Monika and Titania522 for the translation and for beta the chapter. Without them it wouldn't be that good.
> 
> This is a special chapter in this story, because shows the moment when Katniss starts to let her walls down , and there are very sweet moments between them. The case would move forward though in the next chapters with some very decisions moments.
> 
> hope you enioy it, please leave your reviews and comments! In the Spanish version this is one of the fave chapters? Same for you till now?
> 
> thanks for reading!


	17. Back to the office

The alarm goes off very early the next morning. Although I have slept many hours, must be very tired, I do not feel like getting out of bed. «It is so nice in here» I say lazy. But today it is my turn to go back to the office, but first I have to stop by the kitchen. I think smiling to myself as I remember our "flour war" from last night.

However when I get to the kitchen, Peeta is not who I heard rattling and preparing breakfast but Cecelia.

"Good morning," I say sheepishly calling attention to myself.

"Hello Katniss" she says and doesn't seem surprised, so I guess that his «boss» has already warned her about me staying at his place "Would you like some juice or coffee? I was making one for me".

"Thanks, some juice will be just fine," I reply while grab a toast and a knife to spread the cheese cream that I also find on the table. "I apologize for the mess of the kitchen. I dropped some tomato sauce and flour".

I'm a terrible liar, but still I'm not ready to admit our little game from last night, it was an intimate moment, with no importance at all, but our moment. Doesn't bother to Peeta that there is always someone at his house? I could not get used to being around strangers. Although I remember Cecelia is a stranger to me, but not for Peeta, of course.

"The kitchen?" she asks puzzled "The kitchen was clean this morning. I guess that Peeta tidied it up. He couldn't sleep last night. Again."

I take note of two things right now:

The first one, Peeta already told me that first night in the hospital that he had trouble falling asleep and now, this is confirmed by Cecelia.

The second one is that he tricked me yesterday saying he was tired and his leg was sore if he cleaned up the kitchen. He is, obviously, a better liar than I am.

Speaking of Peeta I ask, "By the way where is he?"

"Well, he was finally tired when I arrived this morning and he went to sleep. But he told me to tell you that he will join the group meeting."

"That reminds me, I should be going if I don't want to be late" that is what usually happens.

I say goodbye and go as soon as I can but when I get to the lobby, I realize of my mistake because I don't know if I have to turn right or left to get to the office.

And clearly I arrive late...again, but surprisingly I am not the last one, which makes me happy because neither Boggs neither Haymitch will be upset with me. This morning it's Finnick and Annie's turn. Or maybe, not.

"There is no one, in this fucking unit, one who can set the alarm clock correctly to get here on time!" Haymitch rants.

"Boss, we're sorry, but this is what happens when you send me, weeks before the wedding, outside New York City without my fiancée".

They look at each other in so tender way that I think they have got away. Even Boggs smiles at them, but Haymitch is somewhat tougher. "Oddair, you will have leave from work after the wedding. So, don't dream about spending some days free before it too!" He says finally screaming.

And with that, we start the day with Peeta at the phone. Reality is disheartening though. We do not have many clues where to get hold of, so while we take stock of the situation and what we have. Boggs quickly sums:

"Two children missing from The Seam: Rue, assassinated, and Paul, who is disappeared. In this scenario the girl had a mark in her body with the number eleven. Two other are missing children from Manhattan, the Luyden siblings and another dead, the driver of the limousine company, which belongs to Corolianus Snow. The police found a ten in the crime scene." He keeps going with a gesture between despair and anger, "Another pair of children missing from Suffolk, and a message of a number 4. Finally, Maysee was kidnapped in Mayfield, with a number 12. The best clue we have for now in her case, is that a helicopter was used. So..."

But Haymitch who seems quite impatient, interrupts Boggs and ends the presentation himself.

"So we have nothing, ladies and gentlemen. I want you to be here this weekend at a twelve-hour shift" All of us down our heads conscious of the importance of the case, but frustrated by not having time to relax and forget some of it "Except Everdeen, after her adventure with Mellark, she deserves a break. But before, I want you and Johanna to visit Judge Chaff. He will give you an order of the court to investigate that helicopter. If he doesn't want to, just remember him that he owes me"

I feel the dirty look of my colleagues for being the only one that has not to work on Saturday and Sunday so I frown for them to see that I'm unhappy with Haymitch's decision. But i'm just being melodramatic because the truth is that I'm happy to have a few hours to myself and relax. However Johanna realizes about my little scene and as soon as we are alone in the car, she doesn't miss the opportunity to tease me about what Haymitch said.

"Someday, Katniss, you should explain to us your «adventure» with Peeta in detail."

"You already know everything, Johanna...and it was not an adventure but a nightmare rather" I say lamely.

"Well, in that case I'll have to ask Peeta, it is not for nothing that I'm his best friend. Well Delly too, but she doesn't count. Delly isn't nosy." She says grinning.

All the blood in my body rushes to my face, and I can feel the heat in my cheeks. By now I'm sure I look like a tomato. Besides I don't blush like Prim, whose her face lights up and her cheeks are colored in a lovely way. No, my whole face is like a red light traffic disc.

I hate blushing. When I look at Johanna, she begins to laugh out loud.

"I love that you're having a good time at my expense" I say annoyed unable to control myself.

"Don't be brainless, Katniss. Peeta wouldn't say anything for the world. It took ages for him to tell me that he was in l..."

Now it's her turn to shut up and blush and mine to make Johanna talk, because I think she was going to say something that could be very interesting.

"Keep going please ..." I say gesturing with my hands. But Johanna is smart and she pulls herself together quickly. "I meant that it took him months to confess that he was dating Glimmer. That was what I wanted to say"

My heart just stops when I hear her words. «She was going to say in love»mI think «he was going to say that he was in love with Glimmer». I remain quiet and I stare through the window as we reached the doors of the courts, meanwhile Johanna is still talking nonsense about Peeta and stunning mayor's press secretary.

"But they are not together anymore, did you know that? Yes you did, I told you what happened. Well, I didn't tell you what happened because we don't know it exactly, but what we do know, and this is for sure,is that they are not dating anymore. Yes, this is correct, they are not dating" she says emphasizing every word.

I look puzzled, like she is hiding something. But she motions carefree her hand when just says "Oh, who cares anyway" and turns to me to smile innocently.

Damn, I care! But I do not say it out loud because it would be too embarrassing, and because I would not know how to explain my outburst without uttering the word jealousy.

Due it is Friday, Court is very crowded and we spent a large amount of time trying to access the entry. Then we also have to wait to talk to the secretary of Judge Chaff. When is our turn we explained to her what we need but Portia, that's her name, seems doubtful. "I'm not sure, Agents, the judge will go out early today because he has a romantic weekend with his wife. It is their anniversary" she says speaking low like she is sharing classified information.

"I'm convinced that if you tell the judge that Director Abernathy sends us, he won't mind to delay his trip a little to help us. The judge and the Director are very good friends, you know" she says deploying all the sweetness she is capable of , well if you can say Johanna Mason is sweet, but I'm no one to talk about this point as we are much alike "besides seems, the judge owes him one"

Portia raises her eyebrow, but picks up the phone and tells him exactly what Johanna has told her, but as she finishes talking, we can hear him over the phone and through the door which leads to his office, that is to say in stereo, to the judge Chaff shouting indignantly: "That cheater drunk of Haymitch wants us to do him a favor? Tell them to say to him that until he acknowledges that he cheated on our last poker game, I don't want him or either of his agents near of my office. If they need something urgently, they can go to the summary court".

If it were not because this is going to make our work more complicated, it would even be funny. After losing the rest of the morning to discover that the judge is attending a body removal on the other side of town. We give up, and Johanna tells me that since she has to work tomorrow she may get the order tomorrow: "It will be much easier," she says with a snort.

When we left the court building that looks like a beehive, with all these people coming in and out without any order, Johanna asks me if she can drive me somewhere. But I shake my head. The afternoon is perfect and I intend to get to Central Park to take a walk, sit with a cool drink on a terrace ... and enjoy. We say goodbye and I start my first free weekend since I live here.

I'm about to meet my goal, lifting the icy drink to my lips when the phone rings and I see a call from the person I fear most right now. Okay, maybe not from the person I fear most, who would be Gale, but sure from the second one. My little sister is calling me so I breathe deeply and quietly I say to me to give me courage, "Here we go"

"Hi Prim, what's up?"

"Hello Katniss, where are you? Are you already in New York City?"

"Yes, we got here last night. I was going to call you today, but I just got out of work ..."

"Never mind. I don't have to work tonight. Is it okay if we book some time together and catch up? I can come over to your place"

This is the moment of truth; I'm not sure how to break the news without Prim fangirling.

"I'm not at home, Prim. My bath pipes burst and I have nor ceiling nor water"

"How come haven't you called me to stay at my place?" She asks innocently, but soon realizes the implications and keeps talking with a slightly shocked tone. This is not going not end well, definitely. "Oh my God, if you're not with me... Where are you staying?"

"Prim, before I tell you, promise me you're not going to freak out..." but before I finish the sentence, she already knows the answer and actually starts screaming. I can even imagine her jumping and clapping if it were not because she has to hold the phone with one hand. Although in a surprisingly short time, the line goes silence "Prim, are you there?"

"Yes. Okay, okay I have calmed down. It's been the initial, but you can trust me: I'll behave and I won't say anything in the hospital" she says as if that were an option.

"Thank you. By the way, I told you I was going to call you because I need a favor. Since I'm staying at his apartment, and he requires someone to look after his injured leg, I 've thought that one way to repay him would be that you come by to treat his wound. Is that okay?" Once I have expressed out loud the idea that haunted my head it doesn't seem such a good idea after all. In fact, it's the worst idea I've had in my life!

"Sure Katniss, I'll go tonight. Do you know you there is no need though, don't you? I'm talking about all this exchange of favors that you insist to have under control".

"I'll text you the address; can you be there by seven?" I ask, ignoring her comment because I do not know what to say. It is just I hate charity.

I go for a stroll before heading to his apartment, which appears empty. I walk into the living room and call for Peeta, as he doesn't answer I assume there is no one at home. Although I do not like heights, I go out to the terrace to look at the city. The terrace is huge and encircles the L-shaped attic. It is divided into several areas.

The first area, where I stand now, is in front of the living-room, it has no furniture or plants, there are smalls tree that form a corridor which leads the glass railing, and it is the entrance to the garden. Once at the end of the natural corridor, if you turn left there is a garden: full of flowers, bushes and grass and a pergola with a vine. Within the pergola there is chill-out zone with big cushions and a coffee table.

Finally if you turn around to the left, completing the L, there is a Japanese garden with rocks and water; bamboo and moss and several bonsais and a small pond. It is a work of art and you feel relax looking around you.

That's when I notice that in a side of the garden there is a big window and the room inside is an open space full of canvases. Peeta is inside, working hidden behind a large canvas. I stand watching the scene when he pokes his head to rest his eyes looking at in the garden when he sees me. He is wearing a shirt stained of colors: blue, red, orange, yellow ... he looks like a painting himself. He greets me and makes me a nod to wait him in the living room.

It's barely ten minutes since I got to the living room, when he shows up down the hall with a clean shirt and a crutch. As he approaches, I can see that despite his hands and face cleaned, he still has some traces of paint.

"Hi, how was your day?" He asks "have you got that order?"

"No, the truth is that it was a waste of time. Tomorrow Johanna will try again. As I finished early I called my sister, Prim" I pause before I say "If you do not mind, she is stopping by tonight"

Of course, this is your home..." he says undecided with a strange tone.

I look at him with a question in my eyes and what I assume is a furrowed brow. "While you're still here, I mean"

"Thanks, it's important to me to spend time with Prim because of her shifts and this case, I get to see her less than I would like" I swallow before I continue with the "sensitive" issue that I want to get "Since she is a doctor and you need someone to take care of that leg, I have asked her to take a look at it tonight. It is the least that I can do for your generosity and for allowing me to stay".

"Katniss it is a pleasure, as I told you. You owe me nothing ..."

"Maybe," I say interrupting him, "but I'd like to do something for you too"

"If you're going to feel better, it seems a fair deal," He says smiling, but his smile doesn't reach his eyes as usual. It is less bright. "By the way, as tomorrow we don't have to work I would like to share with you a theory I have about the abductions. I'd like to go to the library. I know that the Internet exists and Wikipedia too, and it would be faster, but sometimes it's hard to know what information is true and what is not. Is that fine for you? "

"Yeah! Any leak on that theory?" I add excited by the idea of spending a day in the vast and incredible library of New York.

"Well, it's about the kidnapped children and why someone is kidnapping them in pairs. I know that not all our clues are conclusive. But the issue of kidnapping young couples reminds me about of the Greek myth of the labyrinth of the Minotaur and the tributes sent to Athens. In that case they were seven young couples though in this case we know that at least will be 12 couples, except in the case of the myth, there were seven young couples whereas in our case, we are looking at 12." He runs his hands through his hair in frustration, "I don't know. It's confusing . I think I want to check out some books on Greek mythology and ancient history. I know it may be a silly and crazy theory..." he says finishing the sentence while he runs his hand through his hair.

Before I can answer, the doorman calls to warn us that Prim just arrived. So we leave working issues aside while my sister goes up.

Of course I shouldn't be surprised to see how Prim and Peeta get along, both are open, friendly and nice people. After completing the treatment, Prim, with a very serious and professional attitude tells Peeta:

"Everything is fine, the wound is healing without problems, but as it is a depth wound it still will take some time to heal completely. I think that in five or seven days we might remove the stitches but you may still feel some pain, so take it easy. Since my sister is here, she can help you with whatever you need".

Peeta doesn't notice anything wrong with her words but I know better. That statement about me helping him whatever he needs, which could be a safe and sensible statement, implies other things. I know her for over twenty years. I look at her with a scowl, hoping Peeta doesn't realize that my sister is playing matchmaker, but fortunately he is already heading to the kitchen.

"Prim do you want to stay for dinner? I have made some fresh salads and grilled fish".

"Can you cook too?" she says looking at me and winking. I'm going to kill her, I think, and it will be a long and painful death. "No thanks Peeta, I have to go home to go over some notes for tomorrow, maybe another day"

Prim quickly gathers her things and asks me to walk her to the door. Before I can make good my threat, she shrugs, gives me a kiss on the cheek and turns to leave.

"Katniss, you should give him a chance" she says while the elevator's doors close leaving me speechless.

I return to the kitchen where Peeta is moving around the dishes with the crutch.

"I thought you might like a quick dinner and then watch a movie what do you think?"

"I think it is perfect but ... with a couple of conditions" I say looking at Peeta who seems very unconvinced. "The first one is that you have to listen to the doctor and let me help you. So please, sit down and I'll take care of everything"

"I can do that, what is your second term? He asks smiling.

"The second one" I say grinning at him, "is that popcorn is mandatory and I choose the movie"

"Katniss, those are three conditions! But I agree if you don't burn it, will you be able to? he says teasing me.

During dinner we basically, talk about anything and everything. It is very easy to talk to Peeta because the conversation flows. We moved to the living room with the bowl of popcorn on the table and we start to watch some Fincher's movie but before it finishes I've fallen asleep.

Peeta wakes me when the movie ends and I realize that my head rests on his lap. With the lights off and only the tv to illuminate the room, I lingered a little longer, prolonging the feeling of well being that I perceive.

"I think you should go to sleep" He says softly as he strokes my hair.

"What about you?"

"I'm not tired"

I remember this morning's conversation with Cecelia when she said that Peeta couldn't slept last night.

"Why not, Peeta? Cecelia told me about last night. And you told me yourself that you can't sleep sometimes."

"I have nightmares also, Katniss" he says sadly.

"Do you want to tell me?"

"I'd rather not, at least not at night. At nights everything seems to be real. That is why I stay so many nights in my studio painting until dawn. Somehow, painting my demons makes me feel better. I'll go now".

I get up from his lap and looked into his eyes. Although there is little light, I see pain in his gaze. Something in me, possibly due the wine that makes me uninhibited, makes me to pronounce the following words.

"Don't, sleep with me... I, hmm you see, I had no nightmares those nights I slept with you: at home, in the cave ... and even in the hospital" I say shyly "Just sleep, but sleep with you makes me feel safe"

So it wasn't a dream, was it? at the hospital?" he smiles "I knew you were there, I could feel you even with medication: protecting and keeping me safe"

I take his hand while I get up and lead him to my room. We get into bed, only with our underwear on. One of his arm making a pillow for me and the other holding me by the waist. One of my hands firmly resting on his chest. Face to face.

I close my eyes, because I'm not able to cope with his piercing gaze, and I need to focus and gather all my willpower to not attack his mouth. Although I realized I want him, I'm still not ready to take that step. I don't want to lose a friend as happened with Gale and I need Peeta besides me and sleeping with him to take away my fears. I'm selfish but I don't want to make things more difficult between us.

I say goodnight and he answers too. I begin to notice that sleep overcomes me but before I fell asleep I think I hear him whispering something in my ear. Just one word: "Always."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Sorry for he waiting, I've been really busy those last months.
> 
> please, leave a review or a comment even a simple "hi" is welcome. It is hard to write and translate so give me your suppor with your comments so I know there is someone outside who cares about this story.


	18. The Incident

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: explicit violence.

When I wake up in the morning, I feel Peeta's arms around me and my head on his chest. I also feel the heat emanating from his skin and the sweet scent of vanilla and cinnamon. I remain still not moving a single muscle, barely breathing so as not to not wake him up and enjoying our sleeping arrangement. However, he is already awake.

“No nightmares,” he says. 

“What?” I ask. 

“You didn't have any nightmares last night,” he says.

He's right. For the first time in ages I've slept through the night. I dreamt of my family. "I had a dream, though" I say, thinking back “I was following a bird through the woods. For a long time. I could hear my father singing in the distance”

“Where did it take you?” he says, brushing my hair off my forehead.

“I don't know. We never arrived,” I say. “But I knew the bird was taking me to him and somehow I also knew that my mother and Prim were there with him. I felt happy."

“Well, you slept like you were happy,” he says.

“Peeta, how come I never know when you're having a nightmare?” I say "I mean, we've been sleeping together a few nights now and I've never heard you screaming."

“I don't know. I don't think I cry out or thrash around or anything. I just come to, paralyzed with terror,” he says.

“You should wake me,” I say,”I wish I could help you and calm you down as you do with me. What are your nightmares about?“

"Katniss, I would like to tell you but..."

Peeta looks at me, silent, as if debating whether or not to tell me. I guess he is fighting his own demons. His bright blue eyes darken for a moment and remind me of a deep dark well, cold but mysterious.. I seek his hand between the sheets and squeeze it, hoping to give him courage and to reinforce his trust in me but at the same time trying not to push him.

"Peeta, you don't have to tell me if you are not ready or if you think it will be worse ... or if I am not the right person," I comment hoping the last reason is not the cause of his reservation. It would hurt my pride, because I feel I could tell him almost anything.

"You don't understand, do you? The effect you can have.”

I don't really understand what he means, but I don't keep wondering about it because he starts talking. He does it so quietly, almost whispering and closes his eyes as if he could not face my gaze.

"It isn't a single nightmare or about a unique matter, but there is always something common. I always start hiding from something, or rather from someone. I know I have to be quiet if I don't want to be found. I know that a sound will be fatal and it will reveal my hiding place,and then everything will turn into blood and noise. Sometimes that person is my mother. Other times it's Cato."

 

I can imagine what he means when his mother enters the conversation. I can even picture in my mind a little Peeta, hiding in a small closet to escape the from the cries of that bitch and I can hardly hold back the tears forming in my eyes, but I have no idea what he means when he talks about this Cato guy.

 

"After finishing my studies at Harvard, I moved to New York University to do my PhD about Forensic Psychology, specifically about the Psychology of Violence: Traumatic Stress Reactions, Personality Disorders, Foundations of Psychopathology, Theories of Personality, Social Psychology... Our final assignment was to study the perpetrators of mass killings: Analysis of the facts, what could be the trigger and motivations, what could have been done to avoid them (if any) and warning mechanism to detect potential killers. The groups consisted of four students. Clove Siblings, Cashmere Nolan and Darius Kale were in my group.

"We went to the campus library, and as it was late May, it was crowded but we got to sit at a table that was empty at the entrance, I guess nobody wanted that table. After reviewing what we had and assigning tasks, I got up with Clove to find the bibliography for the references that we wanted to include in the study.

"We had just found the section we were looking for at the back of the library when we heard some very strong blows and screams. Too soon we realized that it was a shooting.

"Clove panicked, but I knew we had to throw us to the floor and stay calm until we knew what was happening and where the shooter or shooters were. I guess, that after all, I learnt something after years and years of abuse from my mother," he says finally opening his eyes, staring at the roof."

As Peeta spoke, I remembered the massacre. Prim was already in NYC studying medicine and I found out about the tragedy from atext from her. She told me that she was ok and in a different building. 

"I knew we had to throw ourselves down, be quiet and try to seek some shelter," he keeps going "So I grabbed her arm and pushed her down, wrapping her up with my body while covering her mouth to prevent her for screaming. While whispering in her ear that everything would be fine, that she didn't need to worry because we were at the back of the library, although I knew it was a crap shoot.

"The shots eventually ceased, but the silence that followed was more terrifying than all the previous bang, because we knew that the shooter or shooters would be looking for more victims. I don't know how long we remained crouch down, we even tried not to breathe, keeping a close eye on the slightest sound. Until I decided to do something.

"I asked her to stay quiet, hidden as she was between two shelves and to call the police while I would look for a better place to hide.

"Clove was frightened to death and asked me not to leave her there alone, but I promised her that she would be alright that nothing bad would happened to her, that she was safer in that spot. I crawled to the end of the row, hiding by the corner where we were.

"It's funny what the brain retains. I could not tell what the weather was, if it was hot or cold, what I had for breakfast that morning, if it was a cloudy day or if the sun was shining, but I do remember we were in row K29.

"When I reached to the end of it I stuck out the head carefully. Once I checked that no one was there I walked the two steps I had to get to the next row of shelves. My goal was to reach the east wall to see if we could hide in one of the study rooms. When I had not gotten very far, I heard another shot resounding in the library, one single shot very close to where we were. I looked at Clove who was about forty feet from me, her face covered by her hands and shaking like a leaf. But when we heard another shot, she stood up and ran toward me... I can still see everything in slow motion. I motioned with my head and hands for her to stop, too scared to move or scream because I knew I would only get to draw attention to us. But she didn't react.

"At the moment he stepped into the aisle, she froze, looking towards the entrance of the library. And then a shot rang out and I saw her fall backwards.

"There was blood everywhere but she was still breathing because I could see how her chest rose and fell.

"I heard the noise of helicopters: one, two or three ... I couldn't tell. I also heard the sirens. But I remained motionless, watching as Clove's life slipped away from her and I was unable to get closer or to hide myself.

"Suddenly besides her Cato showed up with a cross-chest SMG and a pistol in his hand. When he saw me at the end of the aisle he said in a cold voice: "Wow, Mellark, I hoped to find you here today...too. Let me finish this before I join you." Then he shot Clove fully in her head, without thinking about it for a second. Without hesitation."

Without hesitation, I repeat in my head as Peeta resumes his story.

" A person who walks in a library full of students and shoots and destroys everything has to be free of doubts, I guess. Let me give you a little background about the shooter" he says "I knew Cato. He'd been one of my roommates during the first semester and was the son or grandson, I cannot remember anymore, of someone very important. Maybe because of that, his attitude was arrogant and authoritarian. But that was not the worst. He was also cruel and sadistic. He enjoyed mistreating people: household servants or poorer people like Darius, who also lived in our student flat. One afternoon I arrived early because one of my classes got canceled and found Darius wrapped in a blanket while Cato beat him while screaming atrocities. Without thinking, I jumped on him and pulled Cato away from Darius. We started to fight until I punched him and threw him to the ground.

"Cato quickly disappeared into his room while I took care of Darius and checked on him, but Cato came out right away with a gun in his hand aimed at us: "You think you are very clever and brave, don't you? Everyone in this damn college will pay me for this!" and walked out slamming the door. After reporting him to the Campus Security, Cato was expelled from the university, or so we thought, because the next semester we saw him again in a few classes.

"He was right and his family was very influential and powerful.

"At the very moment he shot Clove, I slipped behind the shelf and ran to the entrance of the library to try to escape through the door or windows. I didn't think this incident would end well for me but I was lucky because the police came and knocked him down.

"He killed more than 20 people, including all my classmates. We studied monsters, we studied how to prevent this from happening and yet we couldn't prevent it and I cannot help feeling guilty. So when Johanna asked me to join the FBI with her I accepted right away. For me it was a way to make up for what I couldn't do" he says looking me into my eyes."

"Peeta, it wasn't your fault, you couldn't do anything ..."

"Maybe" he says interrupting me "but what would have happened if I had not come in the room that evening hit him? Would he have exploded?"

"Of course! He was sick, it was only a matter of time.

"Maybe" he repeats "but that doesn't make me feel any better"

I snuggle against him and stroke him while I try to pull all these thoughts away from his mind. We are silent for a long time until he decides to break it.

"No libraries today, okay? It would be better if we do search online" he says trying to ease the atmosphere with a smile. He gets up from the bed and when he's about to walk out the doors turns around and adds "Thanks for listening, Katniss, I see you in a while in the kitchen".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, this is one of the hardest chapters that I have written because of the subject which is brutal and contains a lot of violence, but it is important to understand Peeta and his nightmares and to give some background on the story of the characters.
> 
> Please send me your reviews and comments because they are so important and you can see that I hurry up with this one thanks to your encouragement. The New York Games are only 2 follows away from the 70 so please help me to reach it!
> 
> Thanks to Brasirish and Titania522 with the translation! 
> 
> See you next chapter which is going to give a huge step on the plot and the case. It is called "Inside the Minotaur's Labyrinth"


	19. Inside the Laberynth of the Minotaur

After a rather taciturn breakfast, where neither of us is really sure of what to say or how to break the ice, we move to his office..   
Peeta sits down on his desk and I sit in one of the chairs in front of him .  
"Ok, let’s start. Why don’t we look into your theory about the tribe …?" And then I catch on something I didn’t think of when Peeta mentioned it yesterday. "Tributes! Rue had written "tri" in the ground, near where her body was found. Why we didn’t this realize before!  
"But that doesn’t prove my theory… " Peeta says smiling, and returns to himself again.  
"But it does demonstrate your intuition about the kidnappings, that they are a kind of offering…"  
"An offering to a monster?" He says afflicted.  
"Whoever is abducting them is a monster already, but I don’t think this is casual. I think we should investigate more about Greek mythology.  
After several hours reviewing and researching online, trying to avoid Wikipedia, I start briefing about what we know, as I write it down on a whiteboard, drawing a sketch.  
"Minos, son of Zeus and Europae, sought help from Poseidon to help him become king of Knossos, Crete today. Wanting to offer a sacrifice in honor of Poseidon, Minos asked him to send the best bull he could find from the sea. The bull was so beautiful that Minos didn’t sacrifice him, but instead kept him with his flock. To revenge Minos for not keeping his promise, Poseidon made Mino’s wife, Pasiphae, fell in love with the bull and coupled with him. She was able to couple with him with the help of Daedalus, who constructed a wooden likeness of a cow, in which Pasiphae hid. From this union the monster Minotaur was born, a humanoid being with a bull’s head, which Minos promptly jailed in the Labyrinth, an enormous construction in Knossos, built by Daedalus as a punishment. The beast demanded human sacrifices to be fed.  
Minos’ best known aggressive expedition was against Athens to avenge the murder of his first born son, Androgeos. When the siege of Athens continued for too long of a period, Minos asked his father, Zeus, for help, and Zeus unleashed a terrible epidemic. Following the instructions of the Oracle, the Athenians were forced to surrender and accept all of Minos’ terms of submission. The most onerous condition of the surrender was the blood tribute. This called for Athens to provide every year (or every three or nine years) seven young men and seven young women as food for the monster Minotaur for as long as he lived.  
When the last group of young men and women arrived from Athens, prince Theseus, son of Poseidon and the successor of King Aegeas of Athens, was among them. The princess of Knossos , Ariadne, fell in love with the brave youth from Athens, and helped him escape. She devised a plan and gave Theseus a ball of yarn so he could find his way through the Labyrinth and kill the monster Minotaur. After the killing, Ariadne departed Crete together with Theseus. However, along the way Theseus deserted her in Naxos and married her younger sister! called Fedra” I finish rolling my eyes as I was expecting that end.  
"There are other versions,though " Peeta keeps saying "that say Ariadne fell asleep with the Gods help so she could become the wife of the god Dionysos".  
What Peeta says is true, but I still think that the first version is more “accurate and real” -if something can be real within the mythology.   
"Anyway" I add quickly to change the topic "We don’t know why there are twelve pairs of tributes, assuming that there are twelve, because it is the most we’ve found so far".  
"It’s not so strange, if you think about it. Both seven and twelve are magical and perfect numbers. The number twelve has many symbolic meanings: twelve months, twelve symbols of the zodiac, perfect division of the sky, twelve hours at night and twelve hours day and there are twelve main Greek gods …  
"Hercules had 12 jobs to perform, the last one being saving Theseus from Hades…" I whisper as I turned around to look out of a window. I discuss with myself whether to tell Peeta my suspicion or not, if what we’ve got here is because of his theory. I went on "You know… Maybe it’s nothing, it’s just a hunch, and possibly unrelated, but when we were interrogating Snow about the Luyden’s disappearance, we were at his office. It looked like the set of a classic Greek film: statues, vases, sculptures and even his library was full of  
classics.  
"That just shows he has a taste for antiques" Peeta says smiling mischievously.  
"Yes, but we were talking about The Twelve labors of Hercules. Is it not too coincidental?" I asked as I can see that he also begins to doubt "To be honest we found nothing conclusive."  
"I know Snow by sight. We are together in a charity board".  
"So?"  
“‘I find it strange to think that a person committed to disadvantaged people could be a psychopath… but on the other hand I know that people are not always what they seem. A clear example of that is my mother”.  
Well I’m not that sure about it, I think to myself, your mother looked like a witch and she is a witch. But I avoid comment for two main reasons: The first one is that, despite everything, that witch is Peeta’s mother and I’m not one to mess with it. And the second one, is that it does not help my argument about Snow involved in the case.  
"Have you already checked if the Capitol is related to the other cases"  
"Truth be told, no" I answer while I throw myself on the sofa exhausted "I’ll ask Beete to look into it."  
"Hey! I’m starving. Why don’t we keep thinking about those numbers in the kitchen? Or better, why don’t we grab a hamburger in the best place of New York? We could go to the office to talk with Beetee later.  
"Mellark, you really know what a girl needs" I answer with a mocking tone.  
Peeta takes my hand to lift me up from the couch so tightly that I just fall into his arms, my hands on his chest. He puts his arm around my waist and leans to me.  
"Katniss" he whispers as I feel that I melt beside him "I don’t think I know what any other girl needs, but you"  
He stares at me and rubs his nose against mine. I close my eyes with his touch and I open my mouth waiting for his lips, but…  
"Let’s go" He shouts while he jumps to the door looking at me with mischievousness "Ladies first…"  
He motions with his hand to show me the way. I need a few seconds to recover from the shock of our “no-kiss”. I realize that he knows what he’s doing. But far from being angry with his game, I begin to laugh with giddiness, and he joins me.  
We arrived at Donovan’s in Queens and order some special burgers, one for Beetee of course, as he’s been on guard ever since this case began.  
We catch a taxi, as Peeta still can’t drive, and he’ll be using his crutches for at least some more days. All the way to Donovan’s we discuss about the meaning of the numbers.  
"In a broad sense, numbers could mean anything from the order of the kidnappings to the order of how corpses were found. They might have a geographical meaning of where they were kidnapped, or where they appear. But unfortunately, it could mean anything that makes sense for a psychopath’s mind" I say dejected. "It is going to be very difficult to prove one of these theories"  
"Then we should start dismissing the easiest patterns, right?" He replies.  
"For example: geographical meaning…" I confirm with a smile.  
When we told him of our “progress”, to call it something. Beete doesn’t know if we are geniuses or if we’ve lost our mind… From my part I can say, though never aloud, that I lose my mind slightly: from the case, from Gale, from my life principles… and everything because of a certain radiant- smile blond boy.  
Right now this this thought doesn’t bother me, it’s the opposite, it fills me with a warmth that makes me feel light and carefree… Although I know that at some point the Katniss who feels that she has to face the world alone because it’s less dangerous will return . But not today, I think, not today.  
Peeta is sitting next to Beete, looking at the computer and focus on the screen, while they enter the parameters for the search.  
"First the computer will show us where the disappearances of the seven children took place, in order : Bronx, Manhattan, Suffolk and Mayfield" says Beete, while the red dots indicate the locations of the kidnapping "How do you want to refine the search?"  
"New York State" I say with conviction "Until now the events happened inside this State".  
"All right, we’ll keep it inside the state of New York. First, I’ll do a geographical search".  
On the screen, we see eight regions become visible. “Why eight, Beetee?” Asks Peeta “according to our theory there should be twelve”.  
"Well, it is showing the eight geographical regions in which the state is divided: Plain of the Atlantic, Hudson Valley, Adirondack Mountains, Tug Mountains, Great Lakes Plain, San Lorenzo Plain, the Great Appalachian Valley, and the plateau of New England is where the city of New York is located …"  
"That makes two disappearances in the Plains of the Atlantic, one in the Adirondacks and four in New England. I think we can rule out the geographical factor" says Peeta disappointed as he pass his hand through the hair pulling it back. It’s a gesture I’ve learnt he makes when he is restless or nervous. "It makes no sense".  
"No" I say, but a thought comes to my mind suddenly. Something silly most likely, but then it wouldn’t make much a difference with the other theories we’ve been thinking today, and we don’t have anything to lose. “Could you try to divide the map geographically into twelve areas, considering that each area must have one or two disappearances?"  
"Yes, of course. It’s simple" he says while entering the new search requirement in the system. "Voilà". Then the map appears divided into twelve regions  
"Looks like we found a pattern" Peeta exclaims surprised, as if he couldn’t believe what we have found.  
Because the screen shows, in fact, eight geographic regions, but one of them is divided into five districts.  
"Plain of the Atlantic, Hudson Valley, Adirondack Mountains, Tug Mountains, Great Lakes Plain, San Lorenzo Plain, the Great Appalachian Valley… And the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Twelve".  
At that time, all our phones start beeping. There are four more disappearances, so we’ll be able to test our theory in a few minutes. We head to the meeting room and are surprised to see that practically,within minutes, all the team members are there already  
"What are you doing here today? Are you homeless?" Haymitch says sarcastically, though a note of pride it betrays him.  
"Haymitch" I ask "where did the kidnappings or disappearances happen?”  
"That’s the point, what I’m going to say breaks our scheme a bit. Although with the kidnapping of only one girl in the Adirondacks, we could have suspected that already. They have kidnapped three teenagers, two girls and a boy all seventeen in Queens. And another fourteen year-old in Brooklyn".  
"Ok" Beetee says staring alternatively between Peeta and me "It is true, this changes the pattern of the couples, but the geographical pattern remains intact".  
"Geographical pattern?" Boggs asks interested in. For the second time today, but now with Beetee’s help, we explain to them not only the issue of the tribute pairings, but the twelve areas where we believe their next move will occur.  
"Jeez, actually you were really bored today" Finnick jokes "It is a very far-fetched theory, don’t you think?"  
"At least, it’s a theory" Haymitch argues "It is something more than what I’ve heard from the rest of you since this case started"  
"Before discarding it, we could check other patterns. you have had only in mind where disappearances took place. right?" I nod my head, while Madge continues "Why don’t we look at other patterns?"  
"Like what?" I wonder, though I know what she is thinking.  
"It could be other things like: where they live, or where they were born, or which school they’re attending…"  
Beetee quickly enters the new data. “Hmm, definitely not where they live.. but look at this!” He says pointing the screen with a grin.   
"It’s where they were born" Peeta says.  
The whole room remains silent, but it is a silence full of smiles because of the importance of the moment. Finally, after weeks without any clue, with nothing to cling to. No more disappointments. We have found something.  
We know where the next kidnappings will happen, and if we cannot stop them before, we know when this will end, but not how, and of course we know that…  
"It’s not random" I say, confirming everyone’s suspicions "if these children were kidnapped according to their place of birth, it cannot be random. There must be a common link"  
Peeta looks at me because he understands what I’m talking about, or rather who I’m talking about. I’m still not ready to launch such an accusation on one of the most important men in this city without any evidence. Although I plan to do a little research on my own, …  
Boggs organizes us in two teams to cover the two new disappearances. When we get up to leave, I notice that Peeta has trouble standing even with the crutches but I’m not the only one who notices him.  
"Mellark, you can go home. You need to take care of that leg, and you are not going to be any help like that on the field" Haymitch says in a voice that leaves no doubt about what has been said "You’ve already earn your salary boy"   
"You are aware that the FBI doesn’t pay me, aren’t you Haymitch?" He says with irony, but looks grateful to Haymitch "All right, I’m going home then".  
While everyone leaves the room, I stay one more moment just to say goodbye to him “I’ll see later”.  
"Of course" and he takes my hand and caress my fingers.  
However, the reality is that I barely see Peeta during the week and a half that followed these incidents. We have to add a pair of “tributes” nappings to the last ones. This is how we decide call them in honor of the theory of the twelve districts. This time in the Tug Mountains, Hudson Valley and the Great Lakes.  
The events keep accelerating, and if our subject continues at this pace and we can’t stop him, or them, before everything will end in a week. There are only three other districts left.  
Despite not seeing Peeta during the last ten days due to my travels outside New York or with his working again at the hospital, we have been in contact. Some calls, many texts and even some nights he has crept into my room to sleep with me and rock me in his arms.  
This morning is no different when I wake up in his apartment. I reach my arms to see if he is by my side, but only find an empty pillow and cold sheets. Anyway, I can still smell his scent and I know that sometime during the night he was with me.  
I stretch with a smile that lingers eternally on my face when I feel Peeta beside me. It’s amazing what the boy with the bread does to me just with his presence, and it is something that continues to be a bit disturbing. When I open my eyes, I see there is an envelope on the pillow. I take it apprehensively, but excited at the same time.  
I open it and see that it is an invitation to a dance, for a charity gala to be held in a few days. It also comes with an attached hand-written note.  
‘“Katniss, I wanted to give this to you, but you were sleeping so peacefully I didn’t want to wake you. I’m not sure if I we will see each other today so…the note is plan B. On Friday I will attend an event and I’d like you to come with me. Would you please come with me as my date?  
Yours, Peeta.”  
I have not even finished reading the note when my head starts to work frantically, making me feel anxious and making excuses to not attend with him, though I know I’m willing to go. I don’t have a dress, I think, and even if I had one I might have to work that night.   
A date? Really? are you ready to have a date with Peeta Mellark? I ask myself.  
In that precise moment my phone rings and I see an email from Peeta. ‘I guess you’re awake and amazed with my proposal, but let me tell you a couple things: The dress is ordered, Prim took care of that and Haymitch has assured me that, unless the world ends this Friday, you won’t have night guard. So ask yourself this, instead of all everything you’re thinking. Why not”  
I start to laugh when I finish reading it. Because the “timing” and content of his email have been so perfect, that looked like he was inside my head, but he has managed to delete all my anxiety and doubts. Without analyzing it more, I decide for once, not let my head to establish limitations.  
When I press the button to send a reply to his email, I throw myself to bed feeling more brave and happy that I’ve felt in a long time. I can imagine Peeta’s expression when he reads it. It is not hard to imagine that smile of him that makes my world turn upside down when he reads my short but direct email “Done Mellark. We have a date.”  
Now, it would be better if I get up me and head to the FBI office. But before I’m going to call Prim to know exactly what dress I'm supposed to wear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I’m here again, sorry for updating so late!! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, peles please leave your reviews and comments there are highly highly appreciated.  
> Thanks to notanislander for her valuable help with the correction of the translation, if you can read it, it’s because of her!


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